During Thursday's Reddit 'Ask Me Anything' (AMA) session, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, personally engaged with the community by addressing numerous user inquiries. These questions spanned various topics, including the release date of the company's next GPT model, current research challenges, and the future trajectory of AI technology.
Notably, during the AMA, Altman utilized OpenAI's generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT, to assist in answering some questions. He revealed that although ChatGPT provides answers at times, he personally reviews and verifies the accuracy of this information.
Regarding the release timeline of OpenAI's next major AI model, GPT-5, Altman provided new insights. He stated that as models become increasingly complex, the company cannot release too many new products simultaneously, suggesting that GPT-5 might only debut after this year. He added that the company is grappling with the challenging decision of how to allocate computing resources effectively to support multiple 'great ideas.'
Nevertheless, Altman remains confident about the company's future. He disclosed that later this year, OpenAI has a series of 'very good releases' planned, although these do not include GPT-5.
As competitors continue to catch up in the AI sector, Altman and other executives face immense pressure to launch new products more swiftly and effectively. However, a recent trend of high-level departures has presented challenges for the company. In response, OpenAI's Vice President of Engineering, Srinivas Narayanan, expressed regret over the departure of some executives but emphasized that the company boasts a highly talented team and is continually welcoming new members.
Despite facing setbacks over the past year, including a brief dismissal in November last year, Altman has recently succeeded in securing a record-breaking $6.6 billion in funding for OpenAI, elevating the company's valuation to $157 billion. This capital infusion will undoubtedly provide robust support for the company's future growth.
Prior to the AMA event, ChatGPT introduced a new search feature similar to those of search engines like Google and Bing. Altman stated that this is one of his favorite features ever. According to Narayanan, ChatGPT utilizes a range of search services in the background, including Bing, to provide more accurate and comprehensive search results.
Additionally, OpenAI executives addressed users' questions regarding future models and feature releases. Product lead Kevin Weil indicated that the video model, Sora, still needs refinement through precise safety and simulation features. Meanwhile, Altman stated that there are currently no plans to release an updated version of the image model, DALL-E, but assured users that the next update will undoubtedly be worth the wait.
