In late 2022, the world was surprised by a groundbreaking chatbot from the most unlikely of sources, ChatGPT. This cutting-edge language processor stunned tech-watchers with its human-like capabilities, from screenplay writing to computer coding. Heralding from the depths of research and development, ChatGPT was made possible by the masterminds behind OpenAI, a start-up that few were aware of.
In this article, we will investigate how ChatGPT was created, who controls it today and what the future might hold.
First let’s explore the origins of ChatGPT. OpenAI is an artificial general intelligence (AGI) research laboratory that has been consistently at the forefront of developing AI technology, however their breakthroughs have been often under-the-radar. The company first opened its doors in 2015, with early founders Greg Brockman, Ilya Sutskever, Sam Altman and others, taking total venture capital funding to over one billion dollars.
In the following years, the San Francisco organisation has developed a number of successful projects, managing to produce technology that rivals that of the biggest tech companies. OpenAI has been able to marry natural language processing (NLP) with machine learning technologies to create the remarkable ChatGPT.
Today, OpenAI remains the company primarily behind the scene, shape and development of ChatGPT, and consequently its main owner. Their confidence in this experimental technology has been fully-justified, as it has achieved successes right out of the gate.
ChatGPT has also been highlighted in the context of the wider ethical debate concerning AI and its appropriate use. Together with OpenAI, ChatGPT has been a cornerstone in simultaneously demonstrating the potential of AI technology and addressing some of the ethical considerations that it represents.
Looking forward, the potential for ChatGPT is considerable and every-expanding. With further financial funding, excellent technical capabilities and human-like conversation, the applications for the chatbot seem limitless. For OpenAI and its ground-breaking advancements, only time will tell where the limits lie.
