Artificial Coup: Breaking Point of the Fault Line
Under no circumstances can one be independent of the vision underlying any technology. Throughout the ages, humanity has consistently sought ways to address the challenges it faced. The term ‘vision’ precisely involves identifying the tools that will aid in finding solutions to problems while exploring ways to focus on some of the available options.
However, how the dominance of a particular technological vision is established in the modern world and what criteria guide preferences are important questions.
Preferences are fundamentally linked to power. Power, in its narrowest sense, denotes the priority of output over input. It is the ability to speak rather than to listen, a luxury akin to not having to learn — much like machine learning! [2]
Now, we are confronted with a new and potent element: “Artificial Intelligence.” Sundar Pichai, Chairman of Google’s Board of Directors, asserts that “Artificial intelligence is probably the most significant thing humanity has ever worked on. If you ask me, it’s even more significant than electricity or fire.”
According to Demis Hassabis, the founder of Deepmind, “Artificial intelligence is the most crucial technology ever invented.” It will deepen our ability to pose “how” and “why” questions, expand the boundaries of knowledge, and open up new scientific discovery areas — ultimately enhancing the lives of billions of people.
However, what if things don’t turn out as expected? What if artificial intelligence disrupts the balance of the labor market, exacerbating job and wage inequality? What if its primary impact is not to increase productivity but to wrest power and prosperity from ordinary people and transfer it to those who control data and key decision-makers in the business world? What if, as a result of all these developments, billions of people in developing countries become even poorer? What if it reinforces existing discriminatory attitudes and biases in society? What if it destroys democratic institutions?
Those seeking answers to these questions are divided into two groups. On one side are the “doomers,” the pessimistic wing about artificial intelligence, and on the other side are the “boomers,” those in favor of more technical progress and faster growth. There are deep fault lines between the two wings! Sam Altman was thought to have struck a balance between these two wings.
Significant developments have been unfolding in the artificial intelligence agenda over the past two weeks. Sam Altman was ousted from the board of directors of OpenAI, the company he founded, last week. Located in the Mission District of San Francisco, OpenAI had formulated its mission as “opening its patents and research to the public to collaborate freely with other institutions and researchers.” [3]
In 2019, OpenAI transformed from a non-profit organization to a “limited-profit” organization, with profit limited to 100 times the investment made.
The transition from a non-profit company to a limited-profit status at OpenAI was met with skepticism by Oren Etzioni, a top researcher at the non-profit Allen Institute for AI. Etzioni acknowledged that attracting top researchers to a non-profit company is difficult but said, “I don’t agree with the idea that a non-profit company cannot compete,” pointing to the successful low-budget projects of OpenAI and others. “If bigger and better funding were always better, IBM would still be number one,” he said. (Oren Etzioni, Professor, Emeritus University of Washington)
Over the past 50 years, the world has learned a truth from techno-elites. Humanity must now face the reality of not trusting venture capitalists who set out to improve humanity. For example, the transition of OpenAI LP from a non-profit status to a for-profit status is inconsistent with OpenAI’s claims to “democratize” artificial intelligence.
According to technology researcher M. Serdar Kuzuloğlu, the conflict between commercial and philosophical concerns lies behind the coup in the OpenAI management board. A technology caught between conscience and wallet!
According to Dr. Alper Özbilen, the chairman of the board of directors of PavoGroup, one of Turkey’s technology leaders, “Technology is like a traffic light. The existence of traffic lights alone is not enough. If all the lights are on at the same time, there is chaos. The important thing is to distinguish between green, yellow, and red. In this chaos and speed, those who stop, think, question, and analyze are often more valuable than those who move.”
The significant developments in the artificial intelligence agenda for the past two weeks have been occupied by OpenAI. Sam Altman was dismissed from his position by the board of directors of OpenAI last week. OpenAI’s board of directors accused Altman of “not being honest with them.” Ilya Sutskever stands out as the name behind the decision. Elon Musk, who returned to the donor position to prevent future disagreements while he was a shareholder, referred to Sutskever in a previous x post as “having a good moral compass.” [4]
After Microsoft became the largest shareholder with a $10 billion investment following its initial $1 billion investment, integrating OpenAI into its extensive product and service portfolio, including LinkedIn, Github, Windows, and Azure, its share value dropped by $48 billion with Altman’s departure. To overcome this challenging situation, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella transferred Sam Altman and Greg Brockman to Microsoft on Monday, and on the same day, the share value reached an all-time high.
After Sam Altman’s resignation, the company’s 500 employees raised the flag, announcing that they would collectively resign if he continued in his position. At the same time, the company’s investors stated that they would sue the board of directors.
Fortune magazine, likening the chaos at OpenAI to Shakespearean plays, said, “Such drama could only happen in California.” [5]
After these developments, Microsoft now has an observer seat on the non-profit board that controls OpenAI, with no voting rights. This information was announced by the company on Wednesday.
In his message, Altman said, “I’ve never been so excited about the future. I feel very grateful for the effort everyone has shown in such an uncertain and unprecedented situation. I feel very good about the likelihood of our success in achieving our mission.” [6]
Since three of the four board members who ousted Altman have left, the new board of OpenAI consists of Chairman Bret Taylor, Larry Summers (former US Treasury Secretary), and the only remaining member from the previous board, Adam D’Angelo. It seems that affairs at OpenAI, caught between conscience and wallet, will now be shaped by the wallet.
We will see whether artificial intelligence is an opportunity or a great threat for humanity.
References
[1] Power and Progress, Daren Acemoğlu-Simon Johnson, 2023
[2] Karl Deutsch, The Nerves of Government, 1966
[3] Gazete Oksijen, Access Date : 30 Nov 2023
[4] https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ilya-sutskever-the-openai-genius-who-told-sam-altman-he-was-fired-26a3381c , Access Date : 1 Dec 2023
[5] https://gazeteoksijen.com/financial-times/openaii-karistiran-40-yas-alti-dort-beyin-195313, Access Date : 1 Dec 2023
[6] https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/29/23981848/sam-altman-back-open-ai-ceo-microsoft-board
