OpenAI is entering a new historic phase. Through its complete transformation into a for-profit entity, the company, once a pioneer in altruistic AI research, is upending its founding model. This decision, which represents a profound break in the history of OpenAI, comes at a time when technologies related to Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) occupy a central place in scientific and political debates around the world.
A restructuring to attract investors
Following the launch of its latest o1 model a few days ago, OpenAI, initially founded in 2015 as a non-profit organization, will now operate as a for-profit benefit corporation. This restructuring aims to attract new investors, as the company prepares to raise $6.5 billion at an estimated valuation of $150 billion. Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, will receive shares in the company for the first time, a notable change in the organization’s governance. The company wants to focus on building AI that benefits everyone, and its teams are working with the board of directors to maintain goals and achieve success despite this transition.
Behind this decision lies a strategic necessity: attracting new capital to support the development of advanced technologies. Thus, since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, OpenAI has seen its value explode, but to maintain this pace of innovation, the company must ensure a regular flow of funds. This restructuring makes it possible to offer more attractive guarantees to investors and to minimize the constraints of purely philanthropic governance. However, the resignations of key figures, such as Mira MURATI, CTO of the company, and Greg BROCKMAN, co-founder of OpenAI, make this transition complex.
AI safety on the back burner?
While OpenAI’s transformation is financially driven, it also raises questions about AI security. One of the most controversial decisions in this new phase is the dissolution of the “superalignment” team, a group dedicated to managing long-term risks related to Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). This choice has been strongly criticized by several players in the AI security community, who fear that short-term goals, dictated by the search for profits, will compromise the company’s initial mission.
Moreover, the nonprofit’s loss of control defers the ethical commitments the company made when it was founded. OpenAI, which had a mission to develop technologies that benefit all humanity, may now prioritize financial goals over that vision. As discussions around AI regulation and oversight grow around the world, this shift could influence how regulators approach these sensitive issues.
This restructuring therefore opens a new era for OpenAI, but it is not without risks. If the company manages to attract investors, it will also have to face criticism from those who see this shift as an abandonment of its founding values. OpenAI's future will be played out on a delicate balance between innovation, ethics and profitability, in a context where the issues related to AGI go far beyond the commercial framework.
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