OpenAI, the company behind the popular AI system ChatGPT, appears to be facing internal turmoil. According to reports, a number of senior executives at OpenAI are unhappy with the direction and future strategy of the company, as well as its CEO, Sam Altman. This dissatisfaction has led some employees to leave OpenAI and join rival Google, while others are planning to resign in the near future.
One of the main concerns among OpenAI employees is the company’s rapid growth over the past six months. OpenAI’s workforce has reportedly increased by 500 percent, from 100 employees in December 2022 to nearly 600 employees at present. This growth has been fueled by multi-billion dollar investments, primarily led by Microsoft. As part of this deal, Microsoft is said to be taking the majority of OpenAI’s profits, a fact that has not been well-received by some executives.
Furthermore, CEO Sam Altman’s public criticism of unregulated AI technologies has also caused discontent among OpenAI employees. Some executives view his statements as mere attempts to appease politicians, and they are not in favor of his self-critical approach. Altman has even cautioned that future versions of ChatGPT could become too powerful to be entrusted to the general public.
According to a report by the German publication BR24, many employees have already resigned from OpenAI, with more planning to do so in the coming weeks. A significant number of these departed employees have joined Google and will contribute to the company’s AI initiatives, including its rival product to ChatGPT, Bard.
Google’s hiring of AI experts from OpenAI can be seen as an effort to reclaim the talent it has lost to its arch-rival in the past. Earlier this year, more than a quarter of OpenAI’s staff were former Google employees, including individuals from its renowned AI research lab, DeepMind. Approximately 59 out of over 200 employees at OpenAI were formerly at Google. Furthermore, OpenAI also hired professionals from companies such as Meta, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft.
The reports suggest that OpenAI continued to attract former Google employees in subsequent months, resulting in the current workforce of around 600 employees. This remarkable growth underscores the aspirations of OpenAI and the popularity of its product, ChatGPT. The company’s website, openai.com, is said to have already surpassed two billion monthly visitors. It remains to be seen how this exodus of talent to Google will impact OpenAI.
In conclusion, OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is facing internal challenges as several senior executives and employees are unhappy with the company’s direction and its CEO, Sam Altman. The rapid growth of OpenAI’s workforce and CEO Altman’s critical stance on unregulated AI technologies have been key points of contention. Many employees have already left OpenAI, with more planning to resign soon. Google has seized this opportunity to hire AI experts from OpenAI, aiming to strengthen its own AI efforts and compete with its rival. The impact of this talent drain on OpenAI remains to be seen.
