Sam Altman's Unexpected Return to OpenAI Sparks Waves of Speculation and Support

Sam Altman, once the captain steering the OpenAI ship, found himself back on deck, but this time as a visitor.

It was Sunday, and the headquarters of the company he had nurtured buzzed with the unexpectedness of his return. There he was, badge-clad, a temporary pass hanging where his CEO badge used to be. He shared this moment, a touch of irony in his words, on social media - a hint of humor in a rather bewildering situation.

Meanwhile, Jason Kwon, the mastermind behind OpenAI's strategy, echoed this sentiment with a snapshot of Altman. The image spoke volumes - a leader turned guest in his own realm.

As the story unfolds, the intrigue deepens. Altman's exit, it seems, wasn't the final chapter. There's a groundswell, a collective voice rising from the ranks of OpenAI. Employees, high and low, are rallying behind him, their support cascading across social media. And it's not just the internal crew; big players like Microsoft, Sequoia Capital, and others are reportedly maneuvering, maybe plotting a comeback.

In the midst of this, Brad Lightcap, OpenAI's COO, dropped a memo - a ripple in the calm waters. It was an expression of surprise, a candid reflection on the board's sudden decision. Conversations are happening, behind closed doors and in hushed tones, trying to make sense of this twist.

And as these whispers grow louder, they carry a hint, a suggestion that Altman might just sail back into the role he left. Greg Brockman, OpenAI's president, already jumped ship, resigning just after Altman's departure.

It's a story still unfolding, a narrative of power, surprise, and maybe, just maybe, a return. In the world of tech and AI, it seems, the plot is always thickening.

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by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

Unicorn Roundup: The World's Top Startups in 2023

Let's talk about the big fishes in the startup ocean, shall we? Right at the top, swimming like a champ, is ByteDance. Heard of TikTok? Yep, they're the brains behind it. And their value? Hold your breath - $225 billion! They're not just about short videos though; in China, they've got Toutiao, a kind of smart newsfeed that knows what you want to read before you do.

Now, looking at the top eight startups globally, it's mostly a U.S. and China show. But guess what? There's a British player in the game too – Revolut, from the fintech world. As of November 2023, we're seeing some cool names from different corners too. Australia’s Canva, more than just a design tool, snags the 10th spot. And from Indonesia, there's J&T Express, making waves in logistics at number 13. And oh, watch out for Shein from China – a fashion giant now worth $66 billion.

CB Insights throws in a fascinating number – there are over 1,200 unicorn startups as of October 2023. Imagine that! And among them, around 40 are what you call 'decacorns', each valued at over $10 billion. It's like a who's who of tech and innovation – OpenAI, Discord, Grammarly, and the list goes on. But, the real jaw-droppers? Bytedance and SpaceX. They're not just unicorns or decacorns; they're hectocorns, with valuations over a mind-boggling $100 billion.

Take a look at the chart below for more insights:

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by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

Instagram Enhances Storytelling with 'My Week' – Your Stories Live for 7 Days

Instagram, always innovating, is constantly brewing up new features and surprises. This time, it's a whole slew of new tricks up their sleeve, aiming to jazz up how we use the app.

There's talk of a bunch of AI-powered stuff coming our way. And hey, they're also fiddling with the Wall feature, like you can pin notes to it, and even ask for a shoutout in Stories. Pretty neat, huh?

But wait, there's more. For those glued to the social media, Instagram's rolling out a new feature called My Week. Heard it from a tech sleuth, Alessandro Paluzzi.

This feature’s all about letting your stories stick around for a full week. My Week, quite a straightforward name, lets you keep your tales alive on your profile for seven days. And the cool part? You can scrap any story you’re not feeling anymore, or sneak in a new one into My Week without making a fuss.



There is a caveat though, this feature isn't exactly ready for prime time. It's still baking in Instagram's oven. So, we gotta wait a bit before it's served up, plus it's not clear if Meta, the parent company behind Insta, will roll out it first for Android, web or iOS users. But, honestly, I'm pretty excited about it. Imagine, you can use it for a ton of stuff. Like, setting up a reminder for a whole week, maybe for an event or something totally different. And for the travel buffs out there, constantly hopping from one place to another and sharing their life online, this is gonna be a hit. There's bound to be a bunch of other cool ways to use it, too.

Content creators are in a spot where they could either hit jackpot or find themselves stuck with the same old tools. "My Week" offers them a fresh canvas – a way to keep their narrative alive for a whole week, engaging followers with what feels like a mini-series of their life or work. It opens up new storytelling possibilities, especially with the upcoming AI integrations.

And then there are the businesses and marketers. They're eyeing these features like a new playground for ads and branding. "My Week" and AI tools could revolutionize how they reach out to potential customers. But it's a tricky game – they need to strike the right balance between creative advertising and not overwhelming users with a spammy experience.

Now, Instagram's kinda famous for testing a heap of features all at once. From what we gather, it could be a while before this new feature lands in the beta version or becomes a regular thing on the app. But don't you worry, we're on the lookout. We'll give you the heads up as soon as it’s up and running.

Read next: OpenAI's Leadership Shakeup: A Short Timeline of Sam Altman's Departure and Its Ripple Effects
by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

OpenAI's Leadership Shakeup: A Short Timeline of Sam Altman's Departure and Its Ripple Effects

Hello DIW readers, did you hear what happened at OpenAI last Friday? Very surprising and upsetting. Sam Altman, who was the boss of OpenAI (the mastermind of ChatGPT), was told to leave by the board. And not just him. Greg Brockman, who helped start OpenAI and was president, also left, along with three important researchers. This is a big change!

I'm sure like me you are trying to understand everything, as everything is moving very fast. For now, I'm listing a timeline to help us see what is happening. Expect further updates as we learn more.

Timeline of Sam Altman Leaving OpenAI

November 16:

Ilya Sutskever Texts Altman: On Thursday, Ilya Sutskever, the cofounder and chief scientist of OpenAI, sends a message to Altman. They plan to talk on Friday. Greg Brockman said this on X (formerly Twitter).

Mira Murati Hears About Altman: Brockman also says that Mira Murati, the CTO at OpenAI, was told Thursday night that Altman will not be CEO anymore.

November 17:

Greg Brockman Not Chairman Anymore: Sutskever asks Brockman for a quick call. After this, Brockman is not the chairman of the board but stays president. Also, Sutskever tell him that Altman has been fired.

OpenAI Tells Everyone: On their blog, OpenAI says there are big changes in who leads the AI startup. The people who manage the company find out just before.

Meeting for Everyone at OpenAI: They have a big meeting on Friday. Sutskever says it was right to fire Altman. He says it is not a bad thing but needed for OpenAI's goals.

Microsoft Talks About It: Satya Nadella, the boss of Microsoft, talks about what happened. He says Microsoft will continue its collaboration with OpenAI, focusing on advancing AI initiatives..

Brockman Leaves Too: After all that happens, Brockman decides to leave OpenAI. He tells people inside and on X.

Other Researchers Leave: After Brockman, three big researchers, like Jakub Pachocki and Aleksander Madry, also leave.

November 18:

Not Because of Bad Things: OpenAI’s COO, Brad Lightcap, sends a letter saying the decision was not because of bad actions. It was a misunderstanding between Altman and the board. But there are worries about how it was done.

Money Problems for OpenAI?: A report claims OpenAI might not get as much money as they thought. Maybe the value of the company will be less because of these changes.

Altman's Next Project: Altman tells the world he wants to start a new company, maybe about AI chips. Brockman might go with him.

Investors Want Altman Back: People who give money to OpenAI are not happy. They want Altman to come back. Even Nadella from Microsoft thinks this is a good idea.

• Also read: The New Race in AI: OpenAI's Stumble and the Opportunity for Google and Amazon

This leadership overhaul at OpenAI, not only raises questions about the company's future direction but also shines a light on the broader, sometimes harsh realities of corporate and startup culture in the tech industry.

Startups Growing Up - Not Always Easy

In startups, founders sometimes have to leave. When companies get big, investors and board members want to achive different objectives. They think more about money, not always about the original idea or dream. This is what maybe happened at OpenAI. It's like this in many startups. They start with a big dream, but as they get bigger, dreams change, and not always in a good way.

Big Companies and Money First

When a company becomes big, they often think more about revenue. Sometimes, they forget about making good products or taking care of their customers. It's sad but true. Big companies can focus too much on making more money and being the only one on top.

What's Happening at OpenAI Now

OpenAI is at a crossroad. They were known for doing good in AI, thinking about ethics. But now, with new leaders, what will happen? Will they stay true to their good goals, or will they change and just think about money and being the biggest? It's a big question that only time will reveal.

Looking at Other Big Tech Companies

We see this kind of story in other places too. Big companies like Uber, WeWork, even Twitter, they all had leadership changes. Founders left, and the companies changed, not always for the better. And very big ones, like Google and Facebook, sometimes they make choices that are good for money but not so good for us, the users.

In the End

This news from OpenAI, it's more than just about one company. It's about a big thing in the tech world that we often called the corporate culture. How companies start with dreams and how those dreams change. It's about money, power, and what really matters. What OpenAI does next, it's important. It will show us if they can keep their good goals or if they will become like others, prioritizing profits over principles.

Photo: DIW

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by Web Desk via Digital Information World

DMA Sparks Apple, Meta, Bytedance Objections; Concerns on Gatekeeper Labels, Fair Competition, and Hefty Fines Arise

Apple, Meta, and ByteDance, they're all part of a big showdown in the EU over something they call the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This DMA thing, it's all about putting big tech companies in the spotlight and calling them "gatekeepers." These gatekeepers, they're like the bouncers at the club who control who gets in and who doesn't. And if these gatekeepers do stuff that's not right, the EU says they can get fined.

Now, they've got their eyes on 22 different services run by six big tech giants – Apple, Microsoft, Google, Meta, Amazon, and TikTok's ByteDance. The idea behind all this is to make sure things are fair for us, the consumers. They don't want these companies to play dirty and make life tough for businesses or customers.

So, just the other day, the EU Court of Justice spilled the beans and told us that Apple, yep, the one with the iPhones, they've joined forces with Meta and ByteDance in saying, "Hold on a second, we're not cool with this DMA stuff." But, you know what? They're not spilling the details of why they're upset.

Rumor has it that Apple is not happy with the gatekeeper labels slapped on the App Store and iMessage. And here's the thing, Apple's been making some noise about supporting RCS on iPhones. This move, it might just make the EU think twice about Apple locking customers into iMessage.

But wait, there's more. Microsoft and Google, they seem to be saying, "Alright, fine, you can call us gatekeepers." They're not making a fuss. On the other hand, Meta and ByteDance, they're raising their hands and saying, "Why us? Why are Messenger and Marketplace getting the gatekeeper label? Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are cool though." Meta's argument is that Marketplace is just folks buying and selling stuff, and Messenger, well, that's just chatting on Facebook. It's not some big middleman.

Then there's ByteDance, the folks behind TikTok. They're saying, "We're not a gatekeeper, we're the new kid on the block, trying to shake things up." They reckon calling TikTok a gatekeeper is just protecting the old guard.

Now, the DMA, it's got some serious bite. Companies that don't follow the rules, they could get fined up to 10% of their global earnings. Repeat offenders, they might face even higher fines, up to 20%. And if you thought that's all, there are these regular fines too, up to 5% of their daily earnings. Oh, and they could even be forced to sell off parts of their business if the regulators dig deep and find more wrongdoings.

So, that's the deal. Big tech companies duking it out with the EU over this DMA thing. It's all about fairness, competition, and making sure that no one's playing dirty in the tech playground.

Photo: DIW

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The New Race in AI: OpenAI's Stumble and the Opportunity for Google and Amazon

OpenAI's recent shake-up has unexpectedly given Google and Amazon an extra edge. Remember ChatGPT's launch in 2022? It was a game-changer, catapulting OpenAI to the forefront. But life in the fast lane of AI innovation isn't without its bumps.

Suddenly, OpenAI's leading lights - CEO Sam Altman and President Greg Brockman - are out. It's more than just a leadership shuffle; it's a narrative twist in the AI chronicle. Altman was shown the door for not being straight with the board, a move that sent shockwaves through Silicon Valley.

This turn of events is a golden ticket for the likes of Google and Amazon. They've been playing catch-up since ChatGPT's debut, and now, OpenAI's internal chaos has thrown them a lifeline. It's a detour from the race for AI dominance, an unplanned pit stop for OpenAI.

Now, OpenAI's laser focus on pushing the boundaries is split. They're on a CEO hunt, a distraction that's not the usual Silicon Valley disruptor tale.

Tech pundit Oren Etzioni puts it well, as per his opinion, OpenAI's valuation might wobble, and its attention could stray. The AI race is long, and this phase might just favor Google and Amazon. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

When news of Altman's exit broke, it stirred the financial pot. Microsoft, heavily invested in OpenAI, felt the tremor in its stock. Conversely, Google and Amazon saw a small uptick. The market senses change.

At an all-hands meeting, OpenAI tried to steady the ship, focusing on its sturdy partnership with Microsoft. Stability was the keyword, according to insiders.

Google might emerge as the biggest beneficiary here. It's been cooking up an AI model, Gemini, set for a launch that's yet to happen. OpenAI's hiccup gives Google extra time to perfect Gemini.

Amazon isn't left out. It once led the cloud-computing revolution, and OpenAI's AI developer network challenges that. Any stumble in OpenAI's stride is Amazon's chance to regain lost ground.

Interestingly, both Google and Amazon have their bets on Anthropic, an emerging AI star rivalling OpenAI. It's a complex, competitive dance in the world of AI, with each player looking for that rhythm that leads to victory.

Photo: DIW

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by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

OpenAI Undergoes Major Leadership Change, Appointing Murati As Interim CEO, Amidst Altman's Sudden Departure

The AI landscape is experiencing a significant shift, and it's all because of OpenAI. The organization, renowned as the force behind ChatGPT and the groundbreaking GPT series, has witnessed a notable change in its leadership structure. Sam Altman, a co-founder and a prominent figure in AI innovation, has stepped down from the CEO role. In his place, Mira Murati, a tech genius who has been instrumental in the background, assumes the position of interim CEO. This transition signifies more than a mere alteration in leadership. It marks a fresh epoch in OpenAI's journey, heralding new prospects and directions under Murati's guidance.

Murati, stepping into these big shoes, is feeling a mix of honor and a bit of awe. She's telling the OpenAI team, who are still trying to wrap their heads around Altman's sudden exit, to keep their eyes on the prize and stay true to what they've always been about.

i loved my time at openai. it was transformative for me personally, and hopefully the world a little bit. most of all i loved working with such talented people.

will have more to say about what’s next later.

🫡

— Sam Altman (@sama) November 17, 2023

This whole switcheroo wasn't a solo decision. The OpenAI board, a group of some pretty sharp minds, had their say. They felt Altman wasn't quite on the same page anymore, especially when it came to being upfront with them. This all comes just after OpenAI showed off some cool new stuff at their DevDay and amidst some personal drama around Altman.

Sam Altman is a hero of mine. He built a company from nothing to $90 Billion in value, and changed our collective world forever. I can't wait to see what he does next. I, and billions of people, will benefit from his future work- it's going to be simply incredible. Thank you…

— Eric Schmidt (@ericschmidt) November 17, 2023

Altman himself, though, is taking this all in stride. He's looking back at his time at OpenAI fondly and seems pumped for what's next. He's not the only one singing his praises. Big names like Eric Schmidt, the ex-CEO of Google, are calling Altman a hero, a real game-changer. And his brother, Jack Altman, is out there saying Sam's not just smart; he's a really good guy, too.

But wait, there's more. Greg Brockman, another big name at OpenAI, is also changing lanes, stepping down as chairman but sticking around as president. The board's a who's who of tech and AI, with folks like Ilya Sutskever and Adam D’Angelo in the mix.

With Altman at the helm, OpenAI was a rollercoaster, full of big wins and some tough questions about ethics and transparency. Now, the board's betting on new leadership to steer OpenAI into its next big phase.

Murati's been with OpenAI for a good five years, and she knows her stuff – from research to making sure everything's safe and sound. This leadership shake-up? It's more than just a new CEO. It's about rethinking where OpenAI's headed and making sure AI is doing good for everyone.

Here are a few speculative theories circulating about the sudden and shocking leadership change at OpenAI. The full truth might remain unknown for a while.

1. Did the CEO make a major deal without the board's approval?

It's speculated that the CEO might have pursued a significant deal, possibly involving a major tech investor, without board consent. This secret deal could have led to his dismissal.

2. Are there financial discrepancies?

There's speculation about possible financial mismanagement or undisclosed high-cost projects that the CEO might have undertaken, leading to his dismissal.

3. Was there a disagreement on long-term strategy?

Though it seems unlikely, there could have been a clash between the CEO and the board regarding the company’s long-term strategy, especially concerning its financial sustainability.

Sam Altman is out at OpenAI, this seem to be the most convincing theory so far. pic.twitter.com/hhU9fi9GXp

— David (@dzhng) November 17, 2023

4. Could it be a security or privacy issue?

Recent internal restrictions on the company’s flagship product suggest a potential security concern. If the CEO underestimated such issues, it could have contributed to trust issues with the board.

5. Is there an intellectual property or legal liability concern?

There are concerns about the company’s use of copyrighted materials in its AI models. If the CEO downplayed these legal risks, it might have worried the board.

6. Were there differences in AI ethics or philosophy?

The CEO's approach to AI, focusing more on corporate and consumer applications, might have diverged from the board's mission-oriented stance, potentially causing friction.

7. Did the CTO instigate a leadership change?

While unlikely, there's a small chance the new interim CEO, previously the CTO, played a role in the leadership change. However, this is mostly speculative.

8. Was it due to personal misconduct?

There's no clear evidence of personal misconduct leading to the CEO's dismissal. The board's statement suggests professional or business reasons.

Photo: OpenAI / YT

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by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World