Fast Times at #AI High. Where Ambition, Ego and Ideology Trump Intelligence, Actual and Artificial. Plus More! #188
Grüezi! I’m Adrian Monck – welcome!
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1️⃣ Fast Times at #AI High
Ambition, Ego and Ideology Beat Intelligence, Actual and Artificial.
🚀 The OpenAI Odyssey: Tech Titans, Turbulence, and Triumph 🌟
🔍 Backdrop: Even in Silicon Valley’s comédie humaine, few stories can rival this rollercoaster week at OpenAI.
Picture this: a high-profile AI company, creators of the groundbreaking ChatGPT, at the centre of a boardroom bust-up that could rival any corporate thriller.
🌐 The Spark: It started with a shocker - Sam Altman, the visionary leader of OpenAI, was ousted by the board. The tech world gasped. Why?
The board remained tight-lipped, citing only Altman’s lack of “consistent candour.” But in the world of AI, where the drama played out on ‘X’, the board were about to get ratio-ed.
🔥 The Revolt: Enter the heroes of our story - the employees of OpenAI. Over 700 signatures strong, they rallied like a heart emoji tech Spartacus, ready to walk out and follow Altman to the ends of the earth (or at least Microsoft). The message was clear: no Altman, no OpenAI.
🎭 The Turnaround: Hollywood plot twist. The board buckled. Altman was back in the saddle, with a new gang – tech veteran Bret Taylor, veteran veteran Larry Summers, (who has a walk-on in The Social Network) and holdover Adam D’Angelo (Quora boss and no-reply-guy).
No new women members were appointed. Average board age went from mid-30s to early 50s.
The ousted became the reinstated. The plot thickened.
🧠 The Payoff: What does this mean for OpenAI? One word: Stability. With Altman’s return, expect a renewed focus on innovation, but with steadier hands on the bridge.
🌅 The Future: With Microsoft’s backing and a CEO who’s seen the abyss and returned, OpenAI is poised to not just navigate but shape the future of AI. Less Skynet, more Starfleet.
🚀 The Takeaway: In the world of tech, where the only constant is change, OpenAI's saga is a reminder that leadership matters, that employee voices have power, and that – in the end – boardroom battles can sometimes be playground squabbles.
Watching OpenAI chart its course, one thing is certain – the journey will be as exciting as the destination.
💡Your Take?
The Atlantic headlined Charlie Wartzel’s take ‘The Money Always Wins’. What’s your view? Let me know in the comments!
⏭ 🔗 #OpenAI #LeadershipLessons #TechDrama #InnovationJourney 🌐
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2️⃣ Understanding the #AI-deological Spectrum
Can you tell an E/ACCs from a Doomer?
Before he became OpenAI’s second most short-lived CEO, Emmett Shear shared a four-blocker on tech’s #AI philosophies.
It’s a good guide to who’s where:
Techno-optimists want rapid technological advancement, believing in the inherent benefits of AI, e.g. Sam Altman, who pushed for growth and commercialisation at OpenAI. And Larry – “It’s coming for the cognitive class” – Summers.
E/ACC (Effective Accelerationists) are waiting for #AI Jesus. Their name is an ironic counter to Effective Altruism, which is to Silicon Valley what Scientology is to Tinsel Town.
Safetyists emphasise ethics, IP, and anti-bias measures in AI development.
Doomers bewail “existential risks” of advanced AI. They want to slow down or shutdown certain research areas. This seems to have been the view of at least one ousted OpenAI board member.
⏭ Where are you on the magic quadrant? Let me know below. 💡
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3️⃣ The Man Taking a Chainsaw to Argentina
Here’s Javi! – Easy there Mr President!
There’s an old saying amongst economists:
“In history there have been only four types of economies: advanced, developing, Japan, and Argentina.”
A century ago, Argentina was one of the richest countries in the world. Today, not so much.
It’s gone from hero to zero.
What happened?
The new President has a simple plan to end that: scrap the peso and central bank and put Argentina on the US$.
💸 Pro:
Economic Stability: Adopting the US$ can curb inflation and stabilise interest rates, boosting investor confidence.
Fewer Currency Crises: With the US$, Argentina can say ‘adios’ to currency crises and devaluations.
🤑 Con:
Monetary Policy Limitations: No wiggle room. Oh, and you have to do something with your outstanding government debt...
Reliance on US Economic Policies: Decisions are made in Washington DC where Argentinians typically don’t get a vote.
Some economists are sceptical:
⏭ John Oliver’s profile of the new Argentine President.
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4️⃣ Breathe Easier. Clean Air is Getting More Cash
More investment for de-smogging fossil fuels.
⏭ Why air pollution shrinks economic growth.
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5️⃣ Which Countries Are Best at Attracting Talent?
Cheese and chocolate seem to help.
⏭ Here are the full rankings.
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6️⃣ Meet Mark Pollock
He’s a pretty extraordinary bloke.
I’ve had the chance to spend some time with Mark, and he’s an incredible story teller.
⏭ Mark’s also the inspiration behind ‘Run in the Dark’.
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7️⃣ What To Watch This Weekend
A ‘no punches pulled’ tale of war.
Mstyslav Chernov didn’t want to be the chronicler of his country’s destruction.But that’s what happened.
I had a chance to meet him and his colleagues just after they escaped from Ukraine.
They were traumatised and exhausted.
They had escaped not to avoid the war but to tell the world about the description of a city – Mariupol.
The world refuses to stand still. Now the eye of the world has switched to watch destruction in other places.
But take time to see the story that he and others risked their lives to tell.
⏭ Mind-cleansing reading on Bea’s book club podcast.
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If you enjoy this newsletter – please recommend it!
Best,
Adrian
