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{{Distinguish|OpenAL|OpenAPI (disambiguation){{!}}OpenAPI|Open-source artificial intelligence}}
{{pp-protected|small=yes}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox company
| logo = [[File:OpenAI logo 2025 (wordmark).svg|frameless|upright=1.1|class=skin-invert]]
| image =
| image_caption =
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| industry = [[Artificial intelligence]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|p=y|2015|12|08}}<ref name="OpenCorporates" />
| founders = {{ubl|[[Sam Altman]]|[[Elon Musk]]|[[Ilya Sutskever]]|[[Greg Brockman]]|[[Trevor Blackwell]]|Vicki Cheung|[[Andrej Karpathy]]|Durk Kingma|[[John Schulman]]|Pamela Vagata|[[Wojciech Zaremba]]}}
| hq_location = 1455 [[Third Street (San Francisco)|3rd Street]], [[San Francisco]], California, U.S.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/openai-s-f-uber-lease-18451102.php |title=OpenAI closes big lease deal at Uber's San Francisco headquarters |first1=Laura |last1=Waxmann |date=October 27, 2023 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=2025-04-21 }}</ref>
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list
| [[Bret Taylor]] ([[Chairman]])
| [[Sam Altman]] ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]])
| [[Greg Brockman]] ([[President (corporate title)|President]])
| [[Sarah Friar]] ([[Chief financial officer|CFO]])<ref name="NYT5">{{cite web |last1=Metz |first1=Cade |last2=Isaak |first2=Mike |title=OpenAI, Still Haunted by Its Chaotic Past, Is Trying to Grow Up |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/03/technology/openai-chatgpt-revenue.html |website=[[New York Times]] |language=en-US |date=September 3, 2024 |access-date=September 3, 2024 |archive-date=September 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907201621/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/03/technology/openai-chatgpt-revenue.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}
| products = [[OpenAI Five]]
{{flatlist|
* [[GPT-1]]
* [[GPT-2|2]]
* [[GPT-3|3]]
* [[GPT-3#GPT-3.5|3.5]]
* [[GPT-4|4]]
* [[GPT-4o|4o]]
* [[GPT-4.5|4.5]]
* [[GPT-4.1|4.1]]
* [[GPT-OSS|OSS]]
* [[GPT-5|5]]
}}
{{flatlist|
* [[DALL·E]]
* [[GPT-4o#GPT Image 1|GPT Image 1]]
}}
{{Unbulleted list
| [[OpenAI Codex]]
| [[ChatGPT]]
| [[SearchGPT]]
| [[Sora (text-to-video model)|Sora]]
{{flatlist|
* [[OpenAI o1|o1]]
* [[OpenAI o3|o3]]
* [[OpenAI o4-mini|o4-mini]]
}}
| [[OpenAI Operator|Operator]]
| [[ChatGPT Deep Research|Deep Research]]
}}
| services =
| revenue = {{increase}} {{US$|3.7|link=yes}} billion<ref name="2024-fin-est">{{cite news |last1=Jin |first1=Berber |last2=Seetharaman |first2=Deepa |title=OpenAI in Talks for Huge Investment Round Valuing It at Up to $300 Billion |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/openaiin-talks-for-huge-investment-round-valuing-it-up-to-300-billion-2a2d4327 |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=January 30, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250131020756/https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/openaiin-talks-for-huge-investment-round-valuing-it-up-to-300-billion-2a2d4327 |archive-date=January 31, 2025 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |quote=OpenAI expected to lose around $5 billion last year on revenue of $3.7 billion}}</ref> {{nowrap| (2024 {{abbr|est.|estimate}})}}
| net_income = {{decrease}} US${{color|red|−5}} billion<ref name="2024-fin-est" /> {{nowrap| (2024 {{abbr|est.|estimate}})}}
| suppressfields = assets <!-- suppress stale and uncited asset value fetched from Wikidata -->
| equity =
| equity_year =
| num_employees = 3,000 (2025)<ref name="simo" />
| homepage = {{URL|https://openai.com/}}
}}
{{Artificial intelligence}}
'''OpenAI, Inc.''' is an American [[artificial intelligence]] (AI) organization headquartered in [[San Francisco|San Francisco, California]]. It aims to develop "safe and beneficial" [[artificial general intelligence]] (AGI), which it defines as "highly autonomous systems that outperform humans at most economically valuable work".<ref name="OpenAI-2018">{{Cite web |date=April 9, 2018 |title=OpenAI Charter |url=https://openai.com/charter |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230714043611/https://openai.com/charter |archive-date=July 14, 2023 |access-date=July 11, 2023 |website=OpenAI |language=en-US}}</ref> As a leading organization in the ongoing [[AI boom]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 10, 2023 |title=Artificial: The OpenAI Story |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/artificial-the-openai-story-21587cbd |access-date=December 12, 2023 |website=WSJ |language=en-US |archive-date=December 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231212151657/https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/artificial-the-openai-story-21587cbd |url-status=live }}</ref> OpenAI is known for the [[Generative pre-trained transformer|GPT]] family of [[large language model]]s, the [[DALL-E]] series of [[text-to-image model]]s, and a [[text-to-video model]] named [[Sora (text-to-video model)|Sora]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Models - OpenAI API |url=https://platform.openai.com/docs/models/overview |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231119121512/https://platform.openai.com/docs/models |archive-date=November 19, 2023 |access-date=November 19, 2023 |website=OpenAI}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jindal |first=Siddharth |date=February 16, 2024 |title=OpenAI Steals the Spotlight with Sora |url=https://analyticsindiamag.com/openai-steals-the-spotlight-with-sora-%E2%9C%A8/ |access-date=July 10, 2024 |website=Analytics India Magazine |language=en-US |archive-date=April 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240420120154/https://analyticsindiamag.com/openai-steals-the-spotlight-with-sora-%E2%9C%A8/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Its release of [[ChatGPT]] in November 2022 has been credited with catalyzing widespread interest in [[generative AI]].
The organization has a complex corporate structure. As of April 2025, it is led by the [[Nonprofit organization|non-profit]] OpenAI, Inc.,<ref name="OpenCorporates">{{Cite web |date=December 8, 2015 |title=OpenAI, Inc. |url=https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_de/5902936 |access-date=August 2, 2023 |website=[[OpenCorporates]] |archive-date=August 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230828053254/https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_de/5902936 |url-status=live }}</ref> founded in 2015 and [[Delaware General Corporation Law|registered in Delaware]], which has multiple for-profit subsidiaries including OpenAI Holdings, LLC and OpenAI Global, LLC.<ref name="St">{{Cite web |date=June 28, 2023 |title=Our structure |url=https://openai.com/our-structure |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230729203855/https://openai.com/our-structure |archive-date=July 29, 2023 |website=OpenAI}}</ref> [[Microsoft]] has invested US$13 billion in OpenAI, and is entitled to 49% of OpenAI Global, LLC's profits, capped at an estimated 10x their investment.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Levine |first=Matt |date=2024-10-21 |title=Who Owns OpenAI? |website=[[Bloomberg News]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-10-21/who-owns-openai |access-date=2025-04-25 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-13 |title=OpenAI LP |url=https://openai.com/index/openai-lp/ |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=openai.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Microsoft also provides computing resources to OpenAI through its [[Cloud computing|cloud platform]], [[Microsoft Azure]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=March 13, 2023 |title=Microsoft spent hundreds of millions of dollars on a ChatGPT supercomputer |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/13/23637675/microsoft-chatgpt-bing-millions-dollars-supercomputer-openai |access-date=June 25, 2024 |website=The Verge |language=en |archive-date=March 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330071711/https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/13/23637675/microsoft-chatgpt-bing-millions-dollars-supercomputer-openai |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2023 and 2024, OpenAI faced multiple lawsuits for alleged [[copyright infringement]] against authors and media companies whose work was used to train some of OpenAI's products. In November 2023, OpenAI's board [[Removal of Sam Altman from OpenAI|removed Sam Altman]] as CEO, citing a lack of confidence in him, but reinstated him five days later following a reconstruction of the board. Throughout 2024, roughly half of then-employed [[AI safety]] researchers left OpenAI, citing the company's prominent role in an industry-wide problem.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goldman |first=Sharon |date=August 26, 2024 |title=Exodus at OpenAI: Nearly half of AGI safety staffers have left, says former researcher |url=https://fortune.com/2024/08/26/openai-agi-safety-researchers-exodus/ |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=Fortune |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Meyer |first=David |date=October 24, 2024 |title=OpenAI's reputational double whammy |url=https://fortune.com/2024/10/24/openai-miles-brundage-suchir-balaji-ai-safety-copyright-sam-altman-chatgpt/ |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=Fortune |language=en |archive-date=December 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207180154/https://fortune.com/2024/10/24/openai-miles-brundage-suchir-balaji-ai-safety-copyright-sam-altman-chatgpt/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{Toclimit}}
== History ==
{{Recentism|section|date=August 2025}}
=== 2015: founding and initial motivations ===
[[File:Pioneer Building, San Francisco (2019) -1.jpg|thumb|Former headquarters at the [[Pioneer Building (San Francisco)|Pioneer Building]] in San Francisco]]
In December 2015, OpenAI was founded as a [[Nonprofit organization|not for profit organization]] by [[Sam Altman]], [[Elon Musk]], [[Ilya Sutskever]], [[Greg Brockman]], [[Trevor Blackwell]], Vicki Cheung, [[Andrej Karpathy]], Durk Kingma, [[John Schulman]], Pamela Vagata, and [[Wojciech Zaremba]], with Sam Altman and Elon Musk as the co-chairs.<ref name="wired_inside2"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-12 |title=Only 4 of OpenAI's 11 Founders Are Still With the Company—Where Are the Rest of Them? |url=https://observer.com/2024/07/openai-founders-career/ |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=Observer |language=en-US}}</ref> A total of $1 billion in capital was pledged by Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Elon Musk, [[Reid Hoffman]], [[Jessica Livingston]], [[Peter Thiel]], [[Amazon Web Services]] (AWS), [[Infosys]], and [[YC research|YC Research]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 12, 2015 |title=Introducing OpenAI |url=https://openai.com/blog/introducing-openai/ |access-date=December 23, 2022 |website=OpenAI |language=en |archive-date=August 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808104802/https://openai.com/blog/introducing-openai/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |date=2015 |title=Sam Altman on His Plan to Keep A.I. Out of the Hands of the "Bad Guys" |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/12/sam-altman-elon-musk-openai |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203201103/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/12/sam-altman-elon-musk-openai |archive-date=February 3, 2023 |access-date=January 23, 2023 |magazine=Vanity Fair}}</ref> The actual collected total amount of contributions was only $130 million until 2019.<ref name="St" /> According to an investigation led by [[TechCrunch]], while YC Research never contributed any funds, [[Open Philanthropy]] contributed $30 million and another $15 million in verifiable donations were traced back to Musk.<ref>{{cite web |title=Elon Musk used to say he put $100M in OpenAI, but now it's $50M: Here are the receipts |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/17/elon-musk-used-to-say-he-put-100m-in-openai-but-now-its-50m-here-are-the-receipts/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230518211335/https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/17/elon-musk-used-to-say-he-put-100m-in-openai-but-now-its-50m-here-are-the-receipts/ |date=May 17, 2023 |archive-date=May 18, 2023 |work=[[TechCrunch]] |last=Harris |first=Mark}}</ref> OpenAI later stated that Musk's contributions totaled less than $45 million.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chan |first=Kelvin |date=March 6, 2024 |title=OpenAI says Musk agreed the ChatGPT maker should become a for-profit company |url=https://apnews.com/article/openai-elon-musk-lawsuit-sam-altman-4a4c0a19316f849f65db9e6d2b0b7a6b |publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> The organization stated it would "freely collaborate" with other institutions and researchers by making some of its patents and research open to the public.<ref>{{cite web |title=Introducing OpenAI |url=https://blog.openai.com/introducing-openai/ |website=OpenAI Blog |date=December 12, 2015 |access-date=September 29, 2018 |archive-date=February 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224031626/https://blog.openai.com/introducing-openai/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="bbc-giants">{{cite news |date=December 12, 2015 |title=Tech giants pledge $1bn for 'altruistic AI' venture, OpenAI |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35082344 |url-status=live |access-date=December 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314021831/http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35082344 |archive-date=March 14, 2018}}</ref><ref name="wired_inside2"/> OpenAI was initially run from Brockman's living room.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Seetharaman |first=Deepa |date=September 27, 2024 |title=Turning OpenAI Into a Real Business Is Tearing It Apart |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/open-ai-division-for-profit-da26c24b |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url-access=subscription |access-date=September 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240928001622/https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/open-ai-division-for-profit-da26c24b |archive-date=September 28, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> It was later headquartered at the [[Pioneer Building (San Francisco)|Pioneer Building]] in the [[Mission District, San Francisco]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://gizmodo.com/elon-musks-neuralink-sought-to-open-an-animal-testing-f-1823167674|title=Elon Musk's Neuralink Sought to Open an Animal Testing Facility in San Francisco |last=Conger|first=Kate|work=Gizmodo|access-date=October 11, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=September 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924145028/https://gizmodo.com/elon-musks-neuralink-sought-to-open-an-animal-testing-f-1823167674|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="technologyreview">{{Cite web|url=https://www.technologyreview.com/s/615181/ai-openai-moonshot-elon-musk-sam-altman-greg-brockman-messy-secretive-reality/|title=The messy, secretive reality behind OpenAI's bid to save the world |last=Hao |first=Karen |date=February 17, 2020|website=MIT Technology Review|language=en-US|access-date=March 9, 2020|archive-date=April 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200403023123/https://www.technologyreview.com/s/615181/ai-openai-moonshot-elon-musk-sam-altman-greg-brockman-messy-secretive-reality/|url-status=live}}</ref>
According to OpenAI's charter, its founding mission is "to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI)—by which we mean highly autonomous systems that outperform humans at most economically valuable work—benefits all of humanity."<ref name="OpenAI-2018" />
Musk and Altman stated in 2015 that they were partly motivated by concerns about [[AI safety]] and [[existential risk from artificial general intelligence]].<ref name="csmonitor">{{cite news |last1=Lewontin |first1=Max |date=December 14, 2015 |title=Open AI: Effort to democratize artificial intelligence research? |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/Technology/2015/1214/Open-AI-Effort-to-democratize-artificial-intelligence-research |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151219071134/http://www.csmonitor.com/Technology/2015/1214/Open-AI-Effort-to-democratize-artificial-intelligence-research |archive-date=December 19, 2015 |access-date=December 19, 2015 |work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]}}</ref><ref name="wired_inside" /> OpenAI stated that "it's hard to fathom how much human-level AI could benefit society", and that it is equally difficult to comprehend "how much it could damage society if built or used incorrectly".<ref name="bbc-giants" /> The startup also wrote that AI "should be an extension of individual human wills and, in the spirit of liberty, as broadly and evenly distributed as possible",<ref name="bbc-giants" /> and that "because of AI's surprising history, it's hard to predict when human-level AI might come within reach. When it does, it'll be important to have a leading research institution which can prioritize a good outcome for all over its own self-interest."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mendoza |first1=Jessica |title=Tech leaders launch nonprofit to save the world from killer robots |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2015/1214/Tech-leaders-launch-nonprofit-to-save-the-world-from-killer-robots |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703170556/https://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2015/1214/Tech-leaders-launch-nonprofit-to-save-the-world-from-killer-robots |archive-date=July 3, 2018 |access-date=December 19, 2015 |work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]}}</ref> Co-chair Sam Altman expected a decades-long project that eventually surpasses human intelligence.<ref name="wired_far_more">{{cite magazine |last1=Metz |first1=Cade |date=December 15, 2015 |title=Elon Musk's Billion-Dollar AI Plan Is About Far More Than Saving the World |url=https://www.wired.com/2015/12/elon-musks-billion-dollar-ai-plan-is-about-far-more-than-saving-the-world/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151219155928/http://www.wired.com/2015/12/elon-musks-billion-dollar-ai-plan-is-about-far-more-than-saving-the-world/ |archive-date=December 19, 2015 |access-date=December 19, 2015 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |quote=Altman said they expect this decades-long project to surpass human intelligence.}}</ref>
[[Vishal Sikka]], former CEO of Infosys, stated that an "openness", where the endeavor would "produce results generally in the greater interest of humanity", was a fundamental requirement for his support; and that OpenAI "aligns very nicely with our long-held values" and their "endeavor to do purposeful work".<ref>{{cite web |author1=Vishal Sikka |author1-link=Vishal Sikka |date=December 14, 2015 |title=OpenAI: AI for All |url=http://www.infosysblogs.com/infytalk/2015/12/openai_ai_for_all.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222094518/http://www.infosysblogs.com/infytalk/2015/12/openai_ai_for_all.html |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |access-date=December 22, 2015 |website=InfyTalk |publisher=[[Infosys]]}}</ref> Cade Metz of ''Wired'' suggested that corporations such as [[Amazon.com|Amazon]] might be motivated by a desire to use open-source software and data to level the playing field against corporations such as Google and Facebook, which own enormous supplies of proprietary data. Altman stated that Y Combinator companies would share their data with OpenAI.<ref name="wired_far_more" />
=== 2016–2018: Non-profit beginnings ===
Brockman met with [[Yoshua Bengio]], one of the "founding fathers" of [[deep learning]], and drew up a list great AI researchers.<ref name="wired_inside2">{{cite magazine |author1=Cade Metz |date=April 27, 2016 |title=Inside OpenAI, Elon Musk's Wild Plan to Set Artificial Intelligence Free |url=https://www.wired.com/2016/04/openai-elon-musk-sam-altman-plan-to-set-artificial-intelligence-free/ |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |language=en-US |access-date=April 28, 2016 |archive-date=April 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427162700/http://www.wired.com/2016/04/openai-elon-musk-sam-altman-plan-to-set-artificial-intelligence-free/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Brockman was able to hire nine of them as the first employees in December 2015.<ref name="wired_inside2" /> OpenAI did not pay AI researchers salaries comparable to those of [[Facebook]] or [[Google]].<ref name="wired_inside2" /> It also did not pay stock options which AI researchers typically get. Nevertheless, Open AI spent $7 million on its first 52 employees in 2016.<ref name="salaryTimes">{{cite news |last1=Metz |first1=Cade |title=A.I. Researchers Are Making More Than $1 Million, Even at a Nonprofit |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/19/technology/artificial-intelligence-salaries-openai.html |access-date=12 August 2025 |work=The New York Times |date=April 19, 2018}}</ref> OpenAI's potential and mission drew these researchers to the firm; a Google employee said he was willing to leave Google for OpenAI "partly because of the very strong group of people and, to a very large extent, because of its mission."<ref name="wired_inside2" /> OpenAI co-founder [[Wojciech Zaremba]] stated that he turned down "borderline crazy" offers of two to three times his market value to join OpenAI instead.<ref name="wired_inside2" />
In April 2016, OpenAI released a public beta of "OpenAI Gym", its platform for [[reinforcement learning]] research.<ref name="Dave Gershgorn-2016">{{cite news|author1=Dave Gershgorn|title=Elon Musk's Artificial Intelligence Group Opens A 'Gym' To Train A.I. |url=http://www.popsci.com/elon-musks-artificial-intelligence-group-opens-gym-to-train-ai|access-date=April 29, 2016|work=Popular Science |date=April 27, 2016|archive-date=April 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430045139/http://www.popsci.com/elon-musks-artificial-intelligence-group-opens-gym-to-train-ai|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Nvidia]] gifted its first [[Nvidia DGX|DGX-1 supercomputer]] to OpenAI in August 2016 to help it train larger and more complex AI models with the capability of reducing processing time from six days to two hours.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Carr |first1=Austin |last2=King |first2=Ian |date=June 15, 2023 |title=How Nvidia Became ChatGPT's Brain and Joined the $1 Trillion Club |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-06-15/nvidia-s-ai-chips-power-chatgpt-and-multibillion-dollar-surge |publisher=Bloomberg News |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230618072913/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-06-15/nvidia-s-ai-chips-power-chatgpt-and-multibillion-dollar-surge |archive-date=June 18, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Vanian |first=Jonathan |date=August 15, 2016 |title=Elon Musk's Artificial Intelligence Project Just Got a Free Supercomputer |url=https://fortune.com/2016/08/15/elon-musk-artificial-intelligence-openai-nvidia-supercomputer/ |work=Fortune |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230607233501/https://fortune.com/2016/08/15/elon-musk-artificial-intelligence-openai-nvidia-supercomputer/ |archive-date=June 7, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2016, OpenAI released "Universe", a software platform for measuring and training an AI's general intelligence across the world's supply of games, websites, and other applications<!--AI training ground that spans any software running on any machine, from games to web browsers to protein folders-->.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2016/12/openais-universe-computers-learn-use-apps-like-humans/|title=Elon Musk's Lab Wants to Teach Computers to Use Apps Just Like Humans Do |last1=Metz |first1=Cade |magazine=WIRED |access-date=December 31, 2016|archive-date=January 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113173007/https://www.wired.com/2016/12/openais-universe-computers-learn-use-apps-like-humans/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/12/05/openais-universe-is-the-fun-parent-every-artificial-intelligence-deserves/|title=OpenAI's Universe is the fun parent every artificial intelligence deserves|last1=Mannes|first1=John|work=TechCrunch|access-date=December 31, 2016|archive-date=February 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219080426/https://techcrunch.com/2016/12/05/openais-universe-is-the-fun-parent-every-artificial-intelligence-deserves/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://universe.openai.com/|title=OpenAI – Universe|language=en-us|access-date=December 31, 2016|archive-date=January 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170101001551/https://universe.openai.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/12/05/openai_universe_reinforcement_learning/|title=Elon Musk-backed OpenAI reveals Universe – a universal training ground for computers|last1=Claburn|first1=Thomas|website=The Register|access-date=December 31, 2016|archive-date=January 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170101002022/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/12/05/openai_universe_reinforcement_learning/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2017, OpenAI spent $7.9 million, a quarter of its functional expenses, on cloud computing alone.<ref>{{cite news |date=July 22, 2019 |title=Microsoft to invest $1 billion in OpenAI |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-microsoft-openai/microsoft-to-invest-1-billion-in-openai-idUSKCN1UH1H9 |access-date=March 6, 2020 |archive-date=May 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200525132055/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-microsoft-openai/microsoft-to-invest-1-billion-in-openai-idUSKCN1UH1H9 |url-status=live }}</ref> In comparison, [[DeepMind]]'s total expenses in 2017 were $442 million. In the summer of 2018, training OpenAI's ''Dota 2'' bots required renting 128,000 [[Central processing unit|CPUs]] and 256 [[Graphics processing unit|GPUs]] from Google for multiple weeks.<ref name="wired investors"/>
In 2018, Musk resigned from his Board of Directors seat, citing "a potential future [[Conflict of interest|conflict [of interest]]]" with his role as CEO of [[Tesla, Inc.|Tesla]] due to Tesla's [[Tesla Autopilot|AI development for self-driving cars.]]<ref name="musk_resigns">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/21/17036214/elon-musk-openai-ai-safety-leaves-board|title=Elon Musk leaves board of AI safety group to avoid conflict of interest with Tesla|first=James|last=Vincent|date=February 21, 2018|website=The Verge|access-date=February 22, 2018|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109015711/https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/21/17036214/elon-musk-openai-ai-safety-leaves-board|url-status=live}}</ref>
In February 2019, [[GPT-2]] was announced, which gained attention for its ability to generate human-like text.<ref name="guardian">{{cite web
|url = https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/feb/14/elon-musk-backed-ai-writes-convincing-news-fiction
|title = New AI fake text generator may be too dangerous to release, say creators
|last = Hern
|first = Alex
|work = [[The Guardian]]
|date = February 14, 2019
|access-date = December 19, 2020
|quote =
|archive-date = February 14, 2019
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190214173112/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/feb/14/elon-musk-backed-ai-writes-convincing-news-fiction
|url-status = live
}}</ref>
=== 2019: Transition from non-profit ===
In 2019, OpenAI transitioned from non-profit to "capped" for-profit, with the profit being capped at 100 times any investment.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 11, 2019 |title=OpenAI shifts from nonprofit to 'capped-profit' to attract capital |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/11/openai-shifts-from-nonprofit-to-capped-profit-to-attract-capital/ |access-date=January 4, 2023 |language=en |archive-date=January 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104154138/https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/11/openai-shifts-from-nonprofit-to-capped-profit-to-attract-capital/ |url-status=live }}</ref> According to OpenAI, the capped-profit model allows OpenAI Global, LLC to legally attract investment from venture funds and, in addition, to grant employees stakes in the company.<ref name="wired investors">{{cite magazine |date=December 3, 2019 |title=To Compete With Google, OpenAI Seeks Investors–and Profits |url=https://www.wired.com/story/compete-google-openai-seeks-investorsand-profits/ |magazine=Wired |language=en |access-date=March 6, 2020 |archive-date=March 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200314180028/https://www.wired.com/story/compete-google-openai-seeks-investorsand-profits/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Many top researchers work for [[Google Brain]], [[DeepMind]], or [[Facebook]], which offer stock options that a nonprofit would be unable to.<ref name="bloomberg arm">{{cite news |last1=Kahn |first1=Jeremy |date=March 11, 2019 |title=AI Research Group Co-Founded by Elon Musk Starts For-Profit Arm |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-11/ai-research-group-co-founded-by-musk-starts-for-profit-arm |access-date=March 6, 2020 |archive-date=December 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207080100/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-11/ai-research-group-co-founded-by-musk-starts-for-profit-arm |url-status=live }}</ref> Before the transition, public disclosure of the compensation of top employees at OpenAI was legally required.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Metz |first=Cade |date=April 19, 2018 |title=A.I. Researchers Are Making More Than $1 Million, Even at a Nonprofit |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/19/technology/artificial-intelligence-salaries-openai.html |access-date=January 28, 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=August 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808200610/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/19/technology/artificial-intelligence-salaries-openai.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
The company then distributed [[Equity (finance)|equity]] to its employees and partnered with Microsoft,<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 22, 2019 |title=Microsoft invests in and partners with OpenAI |url=https://openai.com/blog/microsoft-invests-in-and-partners-with-openai |language=en |access-date=March 17, 2023 |archive-date=February 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228125554/https://openai.com/blog/microsoft-invests-in-and-partners-with-openai |url-status=live }}</ref> announcing an investment package of $1 billion into the company. Since then, OpenAI systems have run on an [[Microsoft Azure|Azure]]-based [[supercomputer|supercomputing]] platform from Microsoft.<ref name="Langston 2023">{{cite web | last=Langston | first=Jennifer | title=Microsoft announces new supercomputer, lays out vision for future AI work | website=Source | date=January 11, 2023 | quote=Built in collaboration with and exclusively for OpenAI | url=https://news.microsoft.com/source/features/ai/openai-azure-supercomputer/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210180449/https://news.microsoft.com/source/features/ai/openai-azure-supercomputer/ | archive-date=February 10, 2023 | url-status=live | access-date=February 10, 2023 }}</ref><ref name="Foley 2020">{{cite web | last=Foley | first=Mary Jo | title=Microsoft builds a supercomputer for OpenAI for training massive AI models | website=ZDNET | date=May 19, 2020 | quote= | url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-builds-a-supercomputer-for-openai-for-training-massive-ai-models/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210180846/https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-builds-a-supercomputer-for-openai-for-training-massive-ai-models/ | archive-date=February 10, 2023 | url-status=live | access-date=February 10, 2023 }}</ref><ref name="Engadget 2020">{{cite web | title=Microsoft's OpenAI supercomputer has 285,000 CPU cores, 10,000 GPUs | quote=Microsoft's OpenAI supercomputer has 285,000 CPU cores, 10,000 GPUs. It's one of the five fastest systems in the world. | website=Engadget | date=May 19, 2020 | url=https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-openai-supercomputer-azure-150001119.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210180859/https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-openai-supercomputer-azure-150001119.html | archive-date=February 10, 2023 | url-status=live | access-date=February 10, 2023 }}</ref>
OpenAI Global, LLC then announced its intention to commercially license its technologies.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 22, 2019 |title=Microsoft Invests in and Partners with OpenAI to Support Us Building Beneficial AGI |url=https://openai.com/blog/microsoft/ |access-date=February 21, 2020 |website=OpenAI |language=en |archive-date=November 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107230518/https://openai.com/blog/microsoft/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It planned to spend $1 billion "within five years, and possibly much faster".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Murgia |first1=Madhumita |date=August 7, 2019 |title=DeepMind runs up higher losses and debts in race for AI |work=[[Financial Times]] |url=https://www.ft.com/content/d4280856-b92d-11e9-8a88-aa6628ac896c |access-date=March 6, 2020 |archive-date=December 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226185727/https://www.ft.com/content/d4280856-b92d-11e9-8a88-aa6628ac896c |url-status=live }}</ref> Altman stated that even a billion dollars may turn out to be insufficient, and that the lab may ultimately need "more capital than any non-profit has ever raised" to achieve artificial general intelligence.<ref>{{cite news |title=OpenAI Will Need More Capital Than Any Non-Profit Has Ever Raised |language=en |work=Fortune |url=https://fortune.com/2019/10/03/openai-will-need-more-capital-than-any-non-profit-has-ever-raised/ |access-date=March 6, 2020 |archive-date=December 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208040513/https://fortune.com/2019/10/03/openai-will-need-more-capital-than-any-non-profit-has-ever-raised/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
The nonprofit, OpenAI, Inc., is the sole [[controlling interest|controlling shareholder]] of OpenAI Global, LLC, which, despite being a for-profit company, retains a formal [[fiduciary duty|fiduciary responsibility]] to OpenAI, Inc.'s nonprofit charter. A majority of OpenAI, Inc.'s board is barred from having financial stakes in OpenAI Global, LLC.<ref name="wired investors" /> In addition, minority members with a stake in OpenAI Global, LLC are barred from certain votes due to conflict of interest.<ref name="bloomberg arm" /> Some researchers have argued that OpenAI Global, LLC's switch to for-profit status is inconsistent with OpenAI's claims to be "democratizing" AI.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vincent |first1=James |date=July 22, 2019 |title=Microsoft invests $1 billion in OpenAI to pursue holy grail of artificial intelligence |language=en |work=[[The Verge]] |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/22/20703578/microsoft-openai-investment-partnership-1-billion-azure-artificial-general-intelligence-agi |access-date=March 6, 2020 |archive-date=July 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723011910/https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/22/20703578/microsoft-openai-investment-partnership-1-billion-azure-artificial-general-intelligence-agi |url-status=live }}</ref>
===2020–2023: ChatGPT, DALL-E, partnership with Microsoft===
In 2020, OpenAI announced [[GPT-3]], a language model trained on large internet datasets. GPT-3 is aimed at natural language answering questions, but it can also translate between languages and coherently generate improvised text. It also announced that an associated API, named ''the API'', would form the heart of its first commercial product.<ref name="2020-06-11_Bloomberg">{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-11/trillions-of-words-analyzed-openai-sets-loose-ai-language-colossus |title=Trillions of Words Analyzed, OpenAI Sets Loose AI Language Colossus |last=Vance |first=Ashlee |author-link=Ashlee Vance |date=June 11, 2020 |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |access-date=June 12, 2020 |archive-date=October 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013163856/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-11/trillions-of-words-analyzed-openai-sets-loose-ai-language-colossus |url-status=live }}</ref>
Eleven employees left OpenAI, mostly between December 2020 and January 2021, in order to establish [[Anthropic]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Moss |first=Sebastian |date=June 2, 2021 |title=Eleven OpenAI Employees Break Off to Establish Anthropic, Raise $124 Million |url=https://aibusiness.com/verticals/eleven-openai-employees-break-off-to-establish-anthropic-raise-124m |work=AI Business |access-date=June 24, 2024 |archive-date=June 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240606002642/https://aibusiness.com/verticals/eleven-openai-employees-break-off-to-establish-anthropic-raise-124m |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2021, OpenAI introduced [[DALL-E]], a specialized deep learning model adept at generating complex digital images from textual descriptions, utilizing a variant of the GPT-3 architecture.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2021/01/05/openai-debuts-dall-e-for-generating-images-from-text/ |title=OpenAI debuts DALL-E for generating images from text |publisher=VentureBeat |date=January 5, 2021 |access-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105221534/https://venturebeat.com/2021/01/05/openai-debuts-dall-e-for-generating-images-from-text/ }}</ref>
[[File:UK national football team considering compete in UEFA Euro and FIFA World Cup – ChatGPT.jpg|thumb|The release of [[ChatGPT]] was a major event in the [[AI boom]]. By January 2023, ChatGPT had become what was then the fastest-growing consumer software application in history, gaining over 100 million users in two months.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Porter |first1=Jon |title=ChatGPT continues to be one of the fastest-growing services ever |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/6/23948386/chatgpt-active-user-count-openai-developer-conference |website=The Verge |access-date=26 November 2024 |language=en |date=6 November 2023 |archive-date=November 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127073502/https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/6/23948386/chatgpt-active-user-count-openai-developer-conference |url-status=live }}</ref>]]
In December 2022, OpenAI received widespread media coverage after launching a free preview of [[ChatGPT]], its new AI [[chatbot]] based on GPT-3.5. According to OpenAI, the preview received over a million signups within the first five days.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Roose |first1=Kevin |title=The Brilliance and Weirdness of ChatGPT |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/05/technology/chatgpt-ai-twitter.html |access-date=January 5, 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=December 5, 2022 |archive-date=January 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118134332/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/05/technology/chatgpt-ai-twitter.html |url-status=live }}</ref> According to anonymous sources cited by [[Reuters]] in December 2022, OpenAI Global, LLC was projecting $200 million of revenue in 2023 and $1 billion in revenue in 2024.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dastin |first1=Jeffrey |last2=Hu |first2=Krystal |last3=Dave |first3=Paresh |last4=Dave |first4=Paresh |title=Exclusive: ChatGPT owner OpenAI projects $1 billion in revenue by 2024 |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/chatgpt-owner-openai-projects-1-billion-revenue-by-2024-sources-2022-12-15/ |access-date=January 5, 2023 |work=Reuters |date=December 15, 2022 |language=en |archive-date=February 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203201121/https://www.reuters.com/business/chatgpt-owner-openai-projects-1-billion-revenue-by-2024-sources-2022-12-15/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
In January 2023, OpenAI Global, LLC was in talks for funding that would value the company at $29 billion, double its 2021 value.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kruppa |first=Berber Jin and Miles |title=WSJ News Exclusive {{!}} ChatGPT Creator in Investor Talks at $29 Billion Valuation |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/chatgpt-creator-openai-is-in-talks-for-tender-offer-that-would-value-it-at-29-billion-11672949279 |access-date=January 6, 2023 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=January 5, 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=February 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203201104/https://www.wsj.com/articles/chatgpt-creator-openai-is-in-talks-for-tender-offer-that-would-value-it-at-29-billion-11672949279 |url-status=live }}</ref> On January 23, 2023, Microsoft announced a new US$10 billion investment in OpenAI Global, LLC over multiple years, partially needed to use Microsoft's cloud-computing service ''Azure''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 23, 2023 |title=Microsoft Adds $10 Billion to Investment in ChatGPT Maker OpenAI |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-23/microsoft-makes-multibillion-dollar-investment-in-openai |access-date=January 23, 2023 |archive-date=January 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123180447/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-23/microsoft-makes-multibillion-dollar-investment-in-openai |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Capoot |first=Ashley |title=Microsoft announces multibillion-dollar investment in ChatGPT-maker OpenAI |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/23/microsoft-announces-multibillion-dollar-investment-in-chatgpt-maker-openai.html |access-date=January 23, 2023 |website=CNBC |date=January 23, 2023 |language=en |archive-date=January 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123154020/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/23/microsoft-announces-multibillion-dollar-investment-in-chatgpt-maker-openai.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Rumors of this deal suggested that Microsoft may receive 75% of OpenAI's profits until it secures its investment return and a 49% stake in the company.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=January 23, 2023 |title=Microsoft extends OpenAI partnership in a "multibillion dollar investment" |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/23/23567448/microsoft-openai-partnership-extension-ai |access-date=April 29, 2023 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-date=April 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429020214/https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/23/23567448/microsoft-openai-partnership-extension-ai |url-status=live }}</ref> The investment is believed to be a part of Microsoft's efforts to integrate OpenAI's ChatGPT into the Bing search engine. Google announced a similar AI application ([[Bard (chatbot)|Bard]]), after ChatGPT was launched, fearing that ChatGPT could threaten Google's place as a go-to source for information.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 6, 2023 |title=Bard: Google launches ChatGPT rival |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-64546299 |access-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207111531/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-64546299 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Vincent |first=James |date=February 8, 2023 |title=Google's AI chatbot Bard makes factual error in first demo |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/2/8/23590864/google-ai-chatbot-bard-mistake-error-exoplanet-demo |access-date=February 12, 2023 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212094317/https://www.theverge.com/2023/2/8/23590864/google-ai-chatbot-bard-mistake-error-exoplanet-demo |url-status=live }}</ref>
On February 7, 2023, Microsoft announced that it was building AI technology based on the same foundation as ChatGPT into [[Microsoft Bing]], [[Microsoft Edge|Edge]], [[Microsoft 365]] and other products.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dotan |first=Tom |title=Microsoft Adds ChatGPT AI Technology to Bing Search Engine |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/microsoft-adds-chatgpt-ai-technology-to-bing-search-engine-11675793525 |access-date=February 7, 2023 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=February 7, 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207185720/https://www.wsj.com/articles/microsoft-adds-chatgpt-ai-technology-to-bing-search-engine-11675793525 |url-status=live }}</ref>
On March 3, 2023, [[Reid Hoffman]] resigned from his board seat, citing a desire to avoid conflicts of interest with his investments in AI companies via [[Greylock Partners]], and his co-founding of the AI startup [[Inflection AI]]. Hoffman remained on the board of Microsoft, a major investor in OpenAI.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dastin |first=Jeffrey |date=March 3, 2023 |title=OpenAI's long-time backer Reid Hoffman leaves board |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/openais-long-time-backer-reid-hoffman-leaves-board-2023-03-03/ |access-date=March 17, 2023 |archive-date=May 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230513191651/https://www.reuters.com/technology/openais-long-time-backer-reid-hoffman-leaves-board-2023-03-03/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
On March 14, 2023, OpenAI released [[GPT-4]], both as an API (with a waitlist) and as a feature of ChatGPT Plus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GPT-4 |url=https://openai.com/product/gpt-4 |access-date=March 16, 2023 |website=openai.com |language=en-US |archive-date=March 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314165712/https://openai.com/product/gpt-4 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Ilya Sutskever and Sam Altman in TAU.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|Altman and Sutskever at [[Tel Aviv University]] in 2023]]
On May 22, 2023, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman and Ilya Sutskever posted recommendations for the governance of [[superintelligence]].<ref name="OpenAI-Governance">{{Cite web |title=Governance of superintelligence |url=https://openai.com/blog/governance-of-superintelligence |access-date=May 30, 2023 |website=openai.com |language=en-US |archive-date=May 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527061619/https://openai.com/blog/governance-of-superintelligence |url-status=live }}</ref> They consider that superintelligence could happen within the next 10 years, allowing a "dramatically more prosperous future" and that "given the possibility of existential risk, we can't just be reactive". They propose creating an international watchdog organization similar to [[International Atomic Energy Agency|IAEA]] to oversee AI systems above a certain capability threshold, suggesting that relatively weak AI systems on the other side should not be overly regulated. They also call for more technical safety research for superintelligences, and ask for more coordination, for example through governments launching a joint project which "many current efforts become part of".<ref name="OpenAI-Governance" /><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Wodecki |first1=Ben |last2=Yao |first2=Deborah |date=May 23, 2023 |title=OpenAI Founders Warn AI 'Superintelligence' is Like Nuclear Power |url=https://aibusiness.com/responsible-ai/openai-leaders-want-the-public-to-decide-ai-rules |access-date=May 30, 2023 |archive-date=May 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530042308/https://aibusiness.com/responsible-ai/openai-leaders-want-the-public-to-decide-ai-rules |url-status=live }}</ref>
In July 2023, OpenAI launched the superalignment project, aiming to find within 4 years how to [[AI alignment|align]] future superintelligences by automating alignment research using AI.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 5, 2023 |title=Introducing Superalignment |url=https://openai.com/index/introducing-superalignment/ |website=OpenAI |access-date=May 25, 2024 |archive-date=May 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525041645/https://openai.com/index/introducing-superalignment/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
In August 2023, it was announced that OpenAI had acquired the [[New York City|New York]]-based start-up Global Illumination, a company that deploys AI to develop digital infrastructure and creative tools.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 16, 2023 |title=OpenAI acquires start-up Global Illumination to work on core products, ChatGPT |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/openai-acquires-start-up-global-illumination-work-core-products-chatgpt-2023-08-16/ |access-date=August 17, 2023 |archive-date=August 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817111738/https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/openai-acquires-start-up-global-illumination-work-core-products-chatgpt-2023-08-16/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
On September 21, 2023, Microsoft had begun rebranding all variants of its Copilot to [[Microsoft Copilot]], including the former ''Bing Chat'' and the ''Microsoft 365 Copilot''.<ref name="unify">{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Nathan |date=September 21, 2023 |title=Microsoft's unified Copilot is coming to Windows, Edge, and everywhere else |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/21/23883798/microsoft-copilot-unified-windows-11-apps-launch-date |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207200142/https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/21/23883798/microsoft-copilot-unified-windows-11-apps-launch-date |archive-date=December 7, 2023 |access-date=February 2, 2024 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref> This strategy was followed in December 2023 by adding the MS-Copilot to many installations of [[Windows 11]] and [[Windows 10]] as well as a standalone ''Microsoft Copilot app'' released for [[Android (operating system)|Android]]<ref name="androidlaunch">{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=December 26, 2023 |title=Microsoft Copilot is now available as a ChatGPT-like app on Android |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/26/24015198/microsoft-copilot-mobile-app-android-launch |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240131115238/https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/26/24015198/microsoft-copilot-mobile-app-android-launch |archive-date=January 31, 2024 |access-date=February 2, 2024 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref> and one released for [[iOS]] thereafter.<ref name="ioslaunch">{{Cite web |date=December 29, 2023 |title=Microsoft's Copilot app is now available on iOS |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/29/24019288/microsoft-copilot-app-available-iphone-ipad-ai |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240130064608/https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/29/24019288/microsoft-copilot-app-available-iphone-ipad-ai |archive-date=January 30, 2024 |access-date=February 2, 2024 |website=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media}}</ref>
On November 6, 2023, OpenAI launched GPTs, allowing individuals to create customized versions of ChatGPT for specific purposes, further expanding the possibilities of AI applications across various industries.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 6, 2023 |title=OpenAI Launches Custom ChatGPT Versions |language=en |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/06/technology/openai-custom-chatgpt.html |access-date=November 12, 2023 |archive-date=November 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231112122229/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/06/technology/openai-custom-chatgpt.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On November 14, 2023, OpenAI announced they temporarily suspended new sign-ups for ChatGPT Plus due to high demand.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Elstrom |first=Peter |date=November 15, 2023 |title=OpenAI Pauses New Signups to Manage Overwhelming Demand |language=en |work=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-11-15/openai-pauses-new-signups-to-manage-overwhelming-demand |url-status=live |access-date=November 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115130109/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-11-15/openai-pauses-new-signups-to-manage-overwhelming-demand |archive-date=November 15, 2023}}</ref> Access for newer subscribers re-opened a month later on December 13.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Idris |first1=Abubakar |title=OpenAI Reopens ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions |url=https://themessenger.com/tech/openai-re-opens-chatgpt-plus-subscriptions |website=The Messenger |language=en |date=December 13, 2023 |access-date=December 14, 2023 |archive-date=December 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231214020417/https://themessenger.com/tech/openai-re-opens-chatgpt-plus-subscriptions |url-status=dead }}</ref>
=== 2024: Public/Non-Profit Efforts, Sora ===
In January, [[Arizona State University]] purchased ChatGPT Enterprise in OpenAI's first deal with a university.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Field |first=Hayden |date=January 18, 2024 |title=OpenAI announces first partnership with a university |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/18/openai-announces-first-partnership-with-a-university.html |access-date=January 18, 2024 |website=CNBC |language=en |archive-date=January 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240124135634/https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/18/openai-announces-first-partnership-with-a-university.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
In February, amidst SEC probes and investigations into CEO Altman's communications<ref>{{cite news |last=Seetharaman |first=Deepa |date=February 28, 2024 |title=SEC Investigating Whether OpenAI Investors Were Misled |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/sec-investigating-whether-openai-investors-were-misled-9d90b411 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229044238/https://www.wsj.com/tech/sec-investigating-whether-openai-investors-were-misled-9d90b411 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The Wall Street Journal |publisher=News Corp}}</ref> OpenAI announced [[Sora (text-to-video model)|Sora]], its [[text-to-video model]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Metz |first1=Cade |title=OpenAI Unveils A.I. That Instantly Generates Eye-Popping Videos |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/15/technology/openai-sora-videos.html |website=The New York Times |date=February 15, 2024 |access-date=February 16, 2024 |archive-date=February 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240215220626/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/15/technology/openai-sora-videos.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sora: Creating video from text |url=https://openai.com/sora |access-date=February 17, 2024 |website=openai.com |language=en-US |archive-date=February 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240217015001/https://openai.com/sora |url-status=live }}</ref>
On February 29, [[Elon Musk]] filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, accusing them of shifting focus from public benefit to profit maximization—a case OpenAI dismissed as "incoherent" and "frivolous," though Musk later revived legal action against Altman and others in August.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Satariano |first1=Adam |last2=Metz |first2=Cade |last3=Mickle |first3=Tripp |date=March 1, 2024 |title=Elon Musk Sues OpenAI and Sam Altman for Violating the Company's Principles |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/01/technology/elon-musk-openai-sam-altman-lawsuit.html |access-date=March 2, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=March 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240306201120/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/01/technology/elon-musk-openai-sam-altman-lawsuit.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lopatto |first=Elizabeth |date=March 6, 2024 |title=OpenAI says Elon Musk wanted 'absolute control' of the company |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/5/24091773/openai-response-elon-musk-breach-of-contract-lawsuit |access-date=March 6, 2024 |website=The Verge |language=en |archive-date=March 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240310050448/https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/5/24091773/openai-response-elon-musk-breach-of-contract-lawsuit |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Kharpal|first=Arjun|date=August 5, 2024|title=Elon Musk revives lawsuit against OpenAI, Sam Altman in federal court|publisher=CNBC|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/05/elon-musk-revives-lawsuit-against-openai-sam-altman-in-federal-court.html|access-date=August 5, 2024|archive-date=August 5, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240805125804/https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/05/elon-musk-revives-lawsuit-against-openai-sam-altman-in-federal-court.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=De Avila|first=Joseph|date=August 5, 2024|title=Elon Musk Revives Lawsuit Against OpenAI and Sam Altman|work=The Wall Street Journal|publisher=News Corp|url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/elon-musk-revives-lawsuit-against-openai-and-sam-altman-d7e5a87c|access-date=August 5, 2024|archive-date=August 5, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240805154833/https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/elon-musk-revives-lawsuit-against-openai-and-sam-altman-d7e5a87c|url-status=live}}</ref>
In May, Chief Scientist [[Ilya Sutskever]] resigned and was succeeded by [[Jakub Pachocki]]. Co-leader [[Jan Leike]] also departed amid concerns over safety and trust.<ref name="may14">{{cite web |last1=Hollister |first1=Sean |title=OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever is officially leaving |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/14/24156920/openai-chief-scientist-ilya-sutskever-leaves |website=The Verge |access-date=May 14, 2024 |language=en |date=May 14, 2024 |archive-date=May 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240514234107/https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/14/24156920/openai-chief-scientist-ilya-sutskever-leaves |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Samuel |first=Sigal |date=May 17, 2024 |title="I lost trust": Why the OpenAI team in charge of safeguarding humanity imploded |url=https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2024/5/17/24158403/openai-resignations-ai-safety-ilya-sutskever-jan-leike-artificial-intelligence |access-date=May 18, 2024 |website=Vox |language=en |archive-date=May 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518205458/https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2024/5/17/24158403/openai-resignations-ai-safety-ilya-sutskever-jan-leike-artificial-intelligence |url-status=live }}</ref> OpenAI then signed deals with [[Reddit]], [[News Corp]], [[Axios (website)|Axios]], and [[Vox Media]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 16, 2024 |title=Reddit and OpenAI Build Partnership - Upvoted |url=https://www.redditinc.com/blog/reddit-and-oai-partner |access-date=May 19, 2024 |website=www.redditinc.com |language=en-US |archive-date=May 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519012615/https://www.redditinc.com/blog/reddit-and-oai-partner |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=May 29, 2024 |title=Exclusive: The Atlantic, Vox Media ink licensing, product deals with OpenAI |url=https://www.axios.com/2024/05/29/atlantic-vox-media-openai-licensing-deal |access-date=June 3, 2024 |website=[[Axios (website)|Axios]] |last=Fischer |first=Sara |archive-date=May 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240531134558/https://www.axios.com/2024/05/29/atlantic-vox-media-openai-licensing-deal|url-status=live }}</ref>
In June, [[Apple Inc.]] signed a contract with Open AI to use ChatGPT features in its products.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wiggers |first=Kyle |date=June 10, 2024 |title=Apple brings ChatGPT to its apps, including Siri |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/10/apple-brings-chatgpt-to-its-apps-including-siri/ |access-date=June 10, 2024 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US |archive-date=June 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240610190918/https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/10/apple-brings-chatgpt-to-its-apps-including-siri/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Paul Nakasone]] then joined the board of OpenAI.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Coldewey |first1=Devin |title=Former NSA head joins OpenAI board and safety committee |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/13/former-nsa-head-joins-openai-board-and-safety-committee/ |website=TechCrunch |access-date=June 15, 2024 |date=June 13, 2024 |archive-date=June 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614000140/https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/13/former-nsa-head-joins-openai-board-and-safety-committee/ |url-status=live }}</ref> OpenAI also acquired Multi, a startup focused on remote collaboration.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wiggers |first1=Kyle |title=OpenAI buys a remote collaboration platform |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/24/openai-buys-a-remote-collaboration-platform/ |website=TechCrunch |access-date=July 5, 2024 |date=June 24, 2024 |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629064556/https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/24/openai-buys-a-remote-collaboration-platform/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
In August, cofounder John Schulman left to join rival startup [[Anthropic]], and OpenAI's president [[Greg Brockman]] took extended leave until November.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wiggers |first=Kyle |date=August 6, 2024 |title=OpenAI co-founder Schulman leaves for Anthropic, Brockman takes extended leave |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/05/openai-co-founder-leaves-for-anthropic/ |access-date=August 7, 2024 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US |archive-date=August 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240807070712/https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/05/openai-co-founder-leaves-for-anthropic/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman returns to ChatGPT maker |date=12 November 2024 |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/openai-co-founder-greg-brockman-returns-ai-startup-bloomberg-news-reports-2024-11-12/ |website=Reuters |access-date=12 November 2024}}</ref>
In September, OpenAI's global affairs chief endorsed the UK's "smart" AI regulation during testimony to a [[House of Lords]] committee,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-23 |title=OpenAI 'in favour' of UK AI legislation, policy chief says |url=https://www.uktech.news/ai/openai-in-favour-of-uk-ai-legislation-policy-chief-says-20240923 |access-date=2024-09-24 |website=UKTN |language=en-GB |archive-date=September 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927171401/https://www.uktech.news/ai/openai-in-favour-of-uk-ai-legislation-policy-chief-says-20240923 |url-status=live }}</ref> CTO [[Mira Murati]] left the company.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Field |first=Hayden |date=2024-09-25 |title=OpenAI CTO Mira Murati announces she's leaving the company |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/25/openai-cto-mira-murati-announces-shes-leaving-the-company.html |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=CNBC |language=en |archive-date=September 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240925211351/https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/25/openai-cto-mira-murati-announces-shes-leaving-the-company.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author1=Maxwell Zeff |author2=Kyle Wiggers |date=2024-09-25 |title=OpenAI CTO Mira Murati says she's leaving the company |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/25/openai-cto-mira-murati-says-shes-leaving-the-company/ |access-date=2024-09-27 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US |archive-date=October 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241004200114/https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/25/openai-cto-mira-murati-says-shes-leaving-the-company/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
In October 2024, OpenAI completed a $6.6 billion capital raise with a $157 billion valuation including investments from Microsoft, Nvidia, and SoftBank.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hu |first=Krystal |title=OpenAI closes $6.6 billion funding haul with investment from Microsoft and Nvidia |date=2 October 2024 |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/openai-closes-66-billion-funding-haul-valuation-157-billion-with-investment-2024-10-02 |website=Reuters |access-date=3 October 2024 |archive-date=October 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241006092108/https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/openai-closes-66-billion-funding-haul-valuation-157-billion-with-investment-2024-10-02/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It also acquired the ___domain Chat.com.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wiggers |first=Kyle |date=2024-11-06 |title=OpenAI acquired Chat.com |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/06/openai-acquired-chat-com/ |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US |archive-date=November 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127232242/https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/06/openai-acquired-chat-com/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2024-11-06 |title=Did OpenAI just spend more than $10 million on a URL? |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/6/24289768/openai-chat-chatgpt-sam-altman-hubspot |access-date=2024-11-10 |publisher=The Verge |archive-date=November 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241111205857/https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/6/24289768/openai-chat-chatgpt-sam-altman-hubspot |url-status=live }}</ref>
In December 2024, during the "12 Days of OpenAI" event, the company launched the [[Sora (text-to-video model)|Sora]] model.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-12-10 |title=OpenAI releases text-to-video model Sora for ChatGPT Plus and Pro users |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/artificial-intelligence/openai-releases-text-to-video-model-sora-for-chatgpt-plus-and-pro-users/articleshow/116154796.cms |access-date=2024-12-11 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389 |archive-date=December 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211233708/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/artificial-intelligence/openai-releases-text-to-video-model-sora-for-chatgpt-plus-and-pro-users/articleshow/116154796.cms |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=December 10, 2024 |title=OpenAI releases text-to-video model Sora for ChatGPT Plus and Pro users |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/openai-releases-text-to-video-model-sora-chatgpt-plus-pro-users-2024-12-09/ |website=Reuters}}</ref> It also launched [[OpenAI o1]], an early [[reasoning model]] that was internally codenamed ''strawberry''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Franzen |first=Carl |date=2024-12-05 |title=OpenAI launches full o1 model with image uploads and analysis, debuts ChatGPT Pro |url=https://venturebeat.com/ai/openai-launches-full-o1-model-with-34-reduced-error-rate-debuts-chatgpt-pro/ |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US |archive-date=December 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207181403/https://venturebeat.com/ai/openai-launches-full-o1-model-with-34-reduced-error-rate-debuts-chatgpt-pro/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Additionally, ChatGPT Pro—a $200/month subscription service offering unlimited o1 access and enhanced voice features—was introduced, and preliminary benchmark results for the upcoming [[OpenAI o3]] models were shared.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Franzen |first1=Carl |last2=David |first2=Emilia |date=2024-12-20 |title=OpenAI confirms new frontier models o3 and o3-mini |url=https://venturebeat.com/ai/openai-confirms-new-frontier-models-o3-and-o3-mini/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US |archive-date=January 20, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120044522/https://venturebeat.com/ai/openai-confirms-new-frontier-models-o3-and-o3-mini/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== 2025 ===
On January 21, 2025, it was announced that OpenAI, [[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]], [[SoftBank Group|SoftBank]] and [[MGX (company)|MGX]] would launch [[Stargate LLC|The Stargate Project]], a joint venture to build an AI infrastructure system in conjunction with the [[Federal government of the United States|US government]]. The project takes its name from OpenAI's existing "Stargate" supercomputer project and is estimated to cost $500 billion. The project will be funded over the next four years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jacobs |first=Jennifer |date=2025-01-22 |title=Trump announces up to $500 billion in private sector AI infrastructure investment - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-announces-private-sector-ai-infrastructure-investment/ |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
On January 23, OpenAI released ''Operator'', an [[AI agent]] and web automation tool for accessing websites to execute goals defined by users. The feature was only available to Pro users in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Metz |first=Cade |date=2025-01-23 |title=OpenAI Unveils A.I. Agent That Can Use Websites on Its Own |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/23/technology/openai-operator-launch.html |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=New York Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Benj |date=2025-01-23 |title=OpenAI launches Operator, an AI agent that can operate your computer |url=https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/01/openai-launches-operator-an-ai-agent-that-can-operate-your-computer/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-US}}</ref>
On February 2, OpenAI made a [[ChatGPT Deep Research|deep research agent]], that achieved an accuracy of 26.6 percent on [[Humanity's Last Exam]] (HLE) benchmark, available to $200-monthly-fee paying users with up to 100 queries per month, while more "limited access" was promised for Plus, Team and later Enterprise users.<ref name="Verge_20250203">{{Cite web |last=Lawler |first=Richard |date=February 3, 2025 |title=ChatGPT's agent can now do deep research for you |url=https://www.theverge.com/news/604902/chagpt-deep-research-ai-agent |access-date=February 5, 2025 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref>
In February, OpenAI underwent a rebranding with a new typeface, word mark, symbol and palette.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bell |first=Jonathan |date=February 4, 2025 |title=OpenAI has undergone its first ever rebrand, giving fresh life to ChatGPT interactions |url=https://www.wallpaper.com/tech/openai-has-undergone-its-first-ever-rebrand-giving-fresh-life-to-chatgpt-interactions |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=wallpaper.com |language=en}}</ref> OpenAI began collaborating with [[Broadcom]] in 2024 to design a custom AI chip capable of both training and inference targeted for mass production in 2026 and to be manufactured by [[TSMC]] in 3 nm node. This initiative is intended to reduce OpenAI's dependence on Nvidia GPUs, which are costly and face high demand in the market.
<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/openai-set-finalize-first-custom-chip-design-this-year-2025-02-10/ |title=Exclusive: OpenAI set to finalize first custom chip design this year |date=February 10, 2025 |website=reuters.com |access-date=February 10, 2025 }}</ref>
On February 13, Sam Altman announced that GPT-4.5, internally known as "Orion", will be the last model without full chain-of-thought reasoning. Altman also indicated that GPT-5, expected to be released within months, could unify the O-Series and GPT-Series models, eliminating the need to choose between them and phasing out O-series models.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barr |first=Kyle |date=2025-02-20 |title=OpenAI's GPT-4.5 May Arrive Next Week, but GPT-5 Is Just Around the Corner |url=https://gizmodo.com/openais-gpt-4-5-may-arrive-next-week-but-gpt-5-is-just-around-the-corner-2000566442 |access-date=February 22, 2025 |website=Gizmodo |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nolan |first=Beatrice |title=Sam Altman lays out plans for GPT-5 and GPT-4.5 promising end of 'hated' model picker |url=https://fortune.com/2025/02/14/sam-altman-openai-plans-gpt-5-release-timelines/ |access-date=February 22, 2025 |website=Fortune |language=en}}</ref>
In March 2025, OpenAI signed an $11.9 billion agreement with [[CoreWeave]], an Nvidia-backed, AI-focused cloud service provider. As part of the deal, OpenAI will receive $350 million worth of CoreWeave shares and gain access to its AI infrastructure, which includes over a quarter million NVIDIA GPUs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bort |first=Julie |date=February 10, 2025 |title=In another chess move with Microsoft, OpenAI is pouring $12B into CoreWeave |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/10/in-another-chess-move-with-microsoft-openai-is-pouring-12b-into-coreweave/ |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref>
In April 2025, OpenAI raised $40 billion at a $300 billion post-money valuation, marking the largest private technology deal on record. The financing round was led by SoftBank, with other participants including Microsoft, [[Coatue Management|Coatue]], [[Altimeter Capital|Altimeter]], and [[Thrive Capital|Thrive]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rooney |first=Hayden Field,Kate |date=March 31, 2025 |title=OpenAI closes $40 billion funding round, largest private tech deal on record |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/31/openai-closes-40-billion-in-funding-the-largest-private-fundraise-in-history-softbank-chatgpt.html |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wiggers |first=Kyle |date=March 31, 2025 |title=OpenAI raises $40B at $300B post-money valuation |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/31/openai-raises-40b-at-300b-post-money-valuation/ |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref>
On April 9, 2025, OpenAI countersued Musk in federal court, alleging that he had engaged in "bad-faith tactics" to slow the company's progress and seize its innovations for his personal benefit. OpenAI also argued that Musk had previously supported the creation of a for-profit structure and had expressed interest in controlling OpenAI himself. The countersuit seeks damages and legal measures to prevent further alleged interference.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Habeshian |first=Sareen |date=April 10, 2025 |title=OpenAI countersues Elon Musk in bitter legal battle |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/04/10/openai-elon-musk-countersuit |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Axios |language=en}}</ref>
In May 2025, it was reported that OpenAI had agreed to acquire "Windsurf", an AI-assisted coding tool formerly known as "Codeium", for approximately $3 billion.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Roof |first1=Katie |last2=Metz |first2=Rachel |title=OpenAI Reaches Agreement to Buy Startup Windsurf for $3 Billion |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-06/openai-reaches-agreement-to-buy-startup-windsurf-for-3-billion |date=2025-05-06 |website=Bloomberg |access-date=2025-05-20 |language=en}}</ref> Windsurf was valued at $1.25 billion in 2024, after a $150 million funding round led by the venture capital firm General Catalyst.<ref>{{cite web |last=Metz |first=Cade |title=OpenAI in Talks to Acquire Windsurf, a Programming Tool, for $3 Billion |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/technology/openai-windsurf-talks.html |date=2025-05-13 |website=The New York Times |access-date=2025-05-20 |language=en}}</ref>
On May 11, 2025, Financial Times reported that OpenAI and Microsoft are rewriting terms of their multibillion-dollar partnership in a negotiation designed to allow the ChatGPT maker to launch a future IPO, while protecting the software giant's access to cutting-edge AI models.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Abraham |first=Rhea Rose |date=2025-05-15 |title=OpenAI negotiates with Microsoft for new funding and future IPO, FT reports |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/openai-negotiates-with-microsoft-unlock-new-funding-future-ipo-ft-reports-2025-05-11/ |access-date=2025-05-15 |work=Reuters}}</ref>
On May 21, 2025, OpenAI announced the $6.5 billion acquisition of [[Io (company)|io]], an AI hardware start-up founded by former Apple designer [[Jony Ive]] in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eadicicco |first=Lisa |date=2025-05-21 |title=Former Apple design chief Jony Ive is joining OpenAI {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/21/tech/jony-ive-apple-design-chief-openai?iid=cnn_buildContentRecirc_end_recirc |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fraser |first=Graham |date=2025-05-22 |title=Apple iPhone designer Sir Jony Ive joins ChatGPT-maker OpenAI |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y66yemjdmo |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=[[BBC News]]}}</ref><ref name="OpenAI-Sam and Jony">{{Cite web |title=Sam and Jony introduce io |url=https://openai.com/sam-and-jony/ |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=openai.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The two companies will merge to "work more intimately with the research, engineering, and product teams in San Francisco", and "Jony will assume deep design and creative responsibilities across OpenAI" as the company develops new hardware products powered by AI technology, according to a press release.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Isaac |first1=Mike |last2=Metz |first2=Cade |date=2025-05-21 |title=OpenAI Unites With Jony Ive in $6.5 Billion Deal to Create A.I. Devices |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/21/technology/openai-jony-ive-deal.html?partner=slack&smid=sl-share |access-date=2025-05-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="OpenAI-Sam and Jony" /> The deal was reported to be the company's largest acquisition to date.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jin |first=Keach Hagey and Berber |title=Former Apple Design Guru Jony Ive to Take Expansive Role at OpenAI |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/former-apple-design-guru-jony-ive-to-take-expansive-role-at-openai-5787f7da |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=WSJ |language=en-US}}</ref> On July 9, 2025, OpenAI announced the completion of the merger with io.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Field |first=Hayden |date=2025-07-09 |title=OpenAI closes its deal to buy Jony Ive's io and build AI hardware |url=https://www.theverge.com/news/703114/openai-io-jony-ive-sam-altman-ai-hardware |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref>
In June 2025, OpenAI began renting [[Google Cloud Platform|Google Cloud]]'s Tensor Processing Units ([[TPU (computing)|TPUs]]) to support [[ChatGPT]] and related services, marking its first meaningful use of non‑Nvidia AI chips.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-06-27 |title=OpenAI turns to Google's AI chips to power its products, source says |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/openai-turns-googles-ai-chips-power-its-products-information-reports-2025-06-27/ |access-date=2025-06-29 |work=Reuters |language=en}}</ref> This strategic move represents a deliberate shift away from exclusive dependency on [[Microsoft Azure]] and [[Nvidia GPUs]], enabling diversification of compute infrastructure and potential cost reductions for [[inference]] workloads.
In July 2025, the [[United States Department of Defense]] announced that OpenAI had received a $200 million contract for AI in the military, along with Anthropic, Google, and [[XAI (company)|xAI]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=2025-07-15 |title=Grok's "MechaHitler" meltdown didn't stop xAI from winning $200M military deal |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/07/groks-mechahitler-meltdown-didnt-stop-xai-from-winning-200m-military-deal/ |access-date=2025-07-16 |website=Ars Technica |language=en}}</ref> In the same month, the company signed a 'strategic partnership' with the [[UK Government]] to use ChatGPT and other AI tools across government and public services.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-22 |title=OpenAI and UK sign deal to use AI in public services |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czdv68gejm7o |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-07-21 |title=UK and ChatGPT maker OpenAI sign new strategic partnership |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-chatgpt-maker-openai-sign-new-strategic-partnership-2025-07-21/ |access-date=2025-07-25 |work=Reuters |language=en}}</ref>
In July 2025, reports indicated that artificial intelligence models by both OpenAI and [[Google DeepMind]] solved mathematics problems at the level of top-performing students in the [[International Mathematical Olympiad]]. OpenAI's large language model was able to achieve gold medal-level performance, reflecting significant progress in AI's reasoning abilities.<ref name="nature-maths">{{cite journal |last1=Castelvecchi |first1=Davide |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-02343-x |title=DeepMind and OpenAI models solve maths problems at level of top students |journal=Nature |date=24 July 2025 |volume=644 |issue=8075 |page=20 |doi=10.1038/d41586-025-02343-x |pmid=40707796 |bibcode=2025Natur.644...20C |access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref>
On July 18, 2025, OpenAI announced the launch of a $50 million fund to support nonprofit and community organizations. The initiative, informed by the independent OpenAI Nonprofit Commission report, aims to leverage AI to address challenges in education, economic opportunity, community organizing, and healthcare.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Tong |first1=Anna |last2=Tong |first2=Anna |date=2025-07-18 |title=OpenAI launches $50 million fund to support nonprofits, community organizations |url=https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/openai-launches-50-million-fund-support-nonprofits-community-organizations-2025-07-18/ |access-date=2025-07-27 |work=Reuters |language=en}}</ref>
== Management ==
[[File:OpenAI corporate structure.svg|thumb|OpenAI's corporate structure]]
=== Key employees ===
* CEO and co-founder: [[Sam Altman]], former president of the start-up accelerator [[Y Combinator (company)|Y Combinator]]
* President and co-founder: [[Greg Brockman]], former CTO, 3rd employee of [[Stripe (company)|Stripe]]<ref name="seattle-investors"/>
* Chief Scientist Officer: [[Jakub Pachocki]], former Director of Research at OpenAI<ref name="may14"/>
* Chief Operating Officer: Brad Lightcap, previously at [[Y Combinator (company)|Y Combinator]] and [[JPMorgan Chase]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bordoloi |first=Pritam |date=May 9, 2022 |title=OpenAI gets a new president, CTO & COO in the latest rejig |url=https://analyticsindiamag.com/openai-gets-a-new-president-cto-coo-in-the-latest-rejig// |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016010242/https://analyticsindiamag.com/openai-gets-a-new-president-cto-coo-in-the-latest-rejig/ |archive-date=October 16, 2022 |access-date=October 11, 2022 |work=AIM}}</ref>
* Chief Financial Officer: [[Sarah Friar]], former [[Nextdoor]] CEO and former CFO at [[Block, Inc.]]<ref name="cxo 2024">{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/openai-hires-sarah-friar-cfo-2024-06-10/ |title=OpenAI hires former Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar as first CFO |date=June 10, 2024 |publisher=[[Reuters]] |access-date=June 11, 2024 |archive-date=June 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611124940/https://www.reuters.com/technology/openai-hires-sarah-friar-cfo-2024-06-10/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Chief Product Officer: Kevin Weil, previously at [[Twitter, Inc.]] and [[Meta Platforms]]<ref name="cxo 2024" />
* Chief Research Officer: Mark Chen, former SVP of Research at OpenAI<ref>{{Cite web |last=Levy |first=Hayden Field,Ari |date=2025-03-24 |title=OpenAI expands COO Brad Lightcap's job to include business oversight, as Altman focuses on research |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/24/openai-expands-coo-brad-lightcaps-job-to-include-business-oversight-.html |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref>
* Chief Compliance Officer: [[Scott Schools]], former Chief Compliance Officer of [[Uber (company)|Uber]]
* Chief Global Affairs Officer: [[Chris Lehane]], former head of global policy at [[Airbnb]]<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Mui |first1=Christine |last2=Defeliciantonio |first2=Chase |date=August 17, 2025 |title=The tech company stocking up on Democrats as Silicon Valley turns right |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/17/sam-altman-chatgpt-california-00449492 |access-date=August 23, 2025 |work=[[Politico]]}}</ref>
* Chief Economist: [[Aaron Chatterji]], professor of business and public policy at Duke University's [[Fuqua School of Business]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Metz |first=Cade |date=October 22, 2024 |title=OpenAI Hires Former White House Official as Its Chief Economist |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/22/technology/openai-chief-economist.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=August 23, 2025}}</ref>
* CEO of Applications: [[Fidji Simo]], former CEO of [[Instacart]]<ref name=simo>{{Cite web |last=Heath |first=Alex |date=August 22, 2025 |title=The power shift inside OpenAI |url=https://www.theverge.com/command-line-newsletter/764650/openai-chatgpt-fidji-simo-sam-altman-power-shift |access-date=August 23, 2025 |website=[[The Verge]]}}</ref>
{{Anchor|Board}}
=== Board of directors of the OpenAI nonprofit ===
* [[Bret Taylor]] (chairman), former chairman of [[Twitter, Inc.|Twitter]]'s board of directors and co-CEO of [[Salesforce]]
* [[Sam Altman]]
* [[Lawrence Summers]], former [[U.S. Secretary of the Treasury]] and [[President of Harvard University]]
* [[Adam D'Angelo]], co-founder and CEO of [[Quora]]
* [[Sue Desmond-Hellmann]], former CEO of the [[Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation]]
* [[Nicole Seligman]], attorney and former executive vice president of the [[Sony Corporation]]
* [[Fidji Simo]], CEO and chair of [[Instacart]]
* [[Paul Nakasone]], former Director of the [[National Security Agency]] (2018–2024)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Peters |first=Jay |date=June 13, 2024 |title=Former head of NSA joins OpenAI board |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/13/24178079/openai-board-paul-nakasone-nsa-safety |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614060521/https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/13/24178079/openai-board-paul-nakasone-nsa-safety |archive-date=June 14, 2024 |access-date=June 14, 2024 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Zico Kolter]], computer scientist<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 8, 2024 |title=OpenAI Names Computer Scientist Zico Kolter as New Board Member |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-08/openai-names-computer-scientist-zico-kolter-as-new-board-member |access-date=August 14, 2024 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en |archive-date=August 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240808194030/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-08/openai-names-computer-scientist-zico-kolter-as-new-board-member |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Adebayo Ogunlesi]], managing partner at [[Global Infrastructure Partners]]<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Criddle |first1=Cristina |last2=Gara |first2=Antoine |date=2025-01-14 |title=OpenAI appoints one of Wall Street's most powerful dealmakers to its board |url=https://www.ft.com/content/63b08a9d-e537-4d60-9904-c59958a16982 |access-date=2025-01-15 |work=Financial Times}}</ref>
Sources:<ref name="St" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=March 11, 2024 |title=Who are OpenAI's new board members? |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/who-are-openais-new-board-members-2024-03-11/ |work=Reuters |archive-date=March 12, 2024 |access-date=August 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240312110610/https://www.reuters.com/technology/who-are-openais-new-board-members-2024-03-11/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Principal individual investors ===
Source:<ref name="seattle-investors" />
* [[Reid Hoffman]], [[LinkedIn]] co-founder<ref name=mercury-back>{{cite news|last1=Liedtke|first1=Michael|title=Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Reid Hoffman, others back $1 billion OpenAI research center|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_29256196/elon-musk-peter-thiel-reid-hoffman-others-back|access-date=December 19, 2015|work=[[Mercury News]]|archive-date=December 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222152100/http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_29256196/elon-musk-peter-thiel-reid-hoffman-others-back |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Peter Thiel]], [[PayPal]] co-founder<ref name=mercury-back/>
* [[Jessica Livingston]], a founding partner of Y Combinator
* [[Elon Musk]], co-founder
== Strategy ==
In the early years before his 2018 departure, Musk posed the question: "What is the best thing we can do to ensure the future is good? We could sit on the sidelines or we can encourage regulatory oversight, or we could participate with the right structure with people who care deeply about developing AI in a way that is safe and is beneficial to humanity." He acknowledged that "there is always some risk that in actually trying to advance (friendly) AI we may create the thing we are concerned about"; but nonetheless, that the best defense was "to empower as many people as possible to have AI. If everyone has AI powers, then there's not any one person or a small set of individuals who can have AI superpower."<ref name="seattle-investors">{{cite news |title=Silicon Valley investors to bankroll artificial-intelligence center |date=December 13, 2015 |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/silicon-valley-investors-to-bankroll-artificial-intelligence-center/ |access-date=December 19, 2015 |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |archive-date=January 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105181552/http://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/silicon-valley-investors-to-bankroll-artificial-intelligence-center/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
Musk and Altman's counterintuitive strategy—that of trying to reduce the potential harm of AI by giving everyone access to it—is controversial among those concerned with existential risk from AI. Philosopher [[Nick Bostrom]] said, "If you have a button that could do bad things to the world, you don't want to give it to everyone."<ref name=wired_inside>{{cite magazine|author1=Cade Metz|title=Inside OpenAI, Elon Musk's Wild Plan to Set Artificial Intelligence Free|url=https://www.wired.com/2016/04/openai-elon-musk-sam-altman-plan-to-set-artificial-intelligence-free/ |access-date=April 28, 2016|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|date=April 27, 2016|language=en-US|archive-date=April 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427162700/http://www.wired.com/2016/04/openai-elon-musk-sam-altman-plan-to-set-artificial-intelligence-free/ |url-status=live}}</ref> During a 2016 conversation about [[technological singularity]], Altman said, "We don't plan to release all of our source code" and mentioned a plan to "allow wide swaths of the world to elect representatives to a new governance board". Greg Brockman stated, "Our goal right now{{nbsp}}... is to do the best thing there is to do. It's a little vague."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Sam Altman's Manifest Destiny |url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny|access-date=October 4, 2016|magazine=The New Yorker|issue=October 10, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161004091200/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny|archive-date=October 4, 2016}}</ref>
Conversely, OpenAI's initial decision to withhold GPT-2 around 2019, due to a wish to "err on the side of caution" in the presence of potential misuse, was criticized by advocates of openness. Delip Rao, an expert in text generation, stated, "I don't think {{bracket|OpenAI}} spent enough time proving {{bracket|GPT-2}} was actually dangerous." Other critics argued that open publication was necessary to replicate the research and to create countermeasures.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vincent |first1=James |title=AI researchers debate the ethics of sharing potentially harmful programs |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/21/18234500/ai-ethics-debate-researchers-harmful-programs-openai |access-date=March 6, 2020 |work=The Verge |date=February 21, 2019 |language=en |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209123243/https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/21/18234500/ai-ethics-debate-researchers-harmful-programs-openai |url-status=live }}</ref>
More recently, in 2022, OpenAI published its approach to the [[AI alignment|alignment problem]], anticipating that aligning [[Artificial general intelligence|AGI]] to human values would likely be harder than aligning current AI systems: "Unaligned AGI could pose substantial risks to humanity[,] and solving the AGI alignment problem could be so difficult that it will require all of humanity to work together". They stated that they intended to explore how to better use human feedback to train AI systems, and how to safely use AI to incrementally automate alignment research.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our approach to alignment research |url=https://openai.com/blog/our-approach-to-alignment-research |access-date=April 26, 2023 |website=openai.com |language=en-US |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426111006/https://openai.com/blog/our-approach-to-alignment-research |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2024, following the temporary removal of Sam Altman and his return, many employees gradually left OpenAI, including most of the original leadership team and a significant number of AI safety researchers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Piper |first=Kelsey |date=2024-10-28 |title=Inside OpenAI's multibillion-dollar gambit to become a for-profit company |url=https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/380117/openai-microsoft-sam-altman-nonprofit-for-profit-foundation-artificial-intelligence |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=Vox |language=en-US |archive-date=December 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203052435/https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/380117/openai-microsoft-sam-altman-nonprofit-for-profit-foundation-artificial-intelligence |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Knight |first=Will |title=The OpenAI Talent Exodus Gives Rivals an Opening |url=https://www.wired.com/story/openai-departures-research-rivals-artificial-intelligence/ |access-date=2024-12-03 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028 |archive-date=December 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204012149/https://www.wired.com/story/openai-departures-research-rivals-artificial-intelligence/ |url-status=live }}</ref> OpenAI also planned a restructuring to operate as a for-profit company. This restructuring could grant Altman a stake in the company.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Benj |date=2024-09-26 |title=OpenAI plans tectonic shift from nonprofit to for-profit, giving Altman equity |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/09/openai-plans-tectonic-shift-from-nonprofit-to-for-profit-giving-altman-equity/ |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-US |archive-date=December 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202204712/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/09/openai-plans-tectonic-shift-from-nonprofit-to-for-profit-giving-altman-equity/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
In March 2025, OpenAI made a policy proposal for the Trump administration to [[Federal preemption|preempt]] pending AI-related state laws with federal laws.<ref name="roberts2025">{{cite news |date=March 31, 2025 |work=[[Bloomberg Law]] |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/openais-preemption-request-highlights-state-laws-downsides |access-date=May 21, 2025 |last=Roberts |first=Oliver |title=OpenAI's Preemption Request Highlights State Laws' Downsides}}</ref> According to OpenAI, "This framework would extend the tradition of government receiving learnings and access, where appropriate, in exchange for providing the private sector relief from
the numerous (781 and counting) proposed AI-related bills already introduced this year in US states."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cdn.openai.com/global-affairs/ostp-rfi/ec680b75-d539-4653-b297-8bcf6e5f7686/openai-response-ostp-nsf-rfi-notice-request-for-information-on-the-development-of-an-artificial-intelligence-ai-action-plan.pdf|title=Openai Response OsSTP NSF RFI Notice Request for information on the development of an artificial intelligence ai action plan}}</ref>
=== Stance on China ===
In February 2025, OpenAI CEO [[Sam Altman]] stated that the company is interested in collaborating with the [[People's Republic of China]], despite [[United States sanctions against China|regulatory restrictions imposed by the U.S. government]].<ref>{{cite news |date=February 2025 |title=OpenAI keen to work with China, CEO Sam Altman says, as DeepSeek rattles the tech market |url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3298396/openai-keen-work-china-ceo-sam-altman-says-deepseek-rattles-tech-market |access-date=February 17, 2025 |work=South China Morning Post}}</ref> This shift comes in response to the growing influence of the Chinese artificial intelligence company [[DeepSeek]], which has disrupted the AI market with open models, including DeepSeek V3 and DeepSeek R1.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 2025 |title=DeepSeek spurs Baidu, other AI competitors to adopt open-source strategy |url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3298739/deepseek-spurs-baidu-other-ai-competitors-adopt-open-source-strategy |access-date=February 17, 2025 |work=South China Morning Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00229-6 | doi=10.1038/d41586-025-00229-6 | title=China's cheap, open AI model DeepSeek thrills scientists | date=2025 | last1=Gibney | first1=Elizabeth | journal=Nature | volume=638 | issue=8049 | pages=13–14 | pmid=39849139 | bibcode=2025Natur.638...13G | url-access=subscription }}</ref>
The emergence of DeepSeek has led major Chinese tech firms such as [[Baidu]] and others to embrace an [[open-source]] strategy, intensifying competition with OpenAI. Altman acknowledged the uncertainty regarding U.S. government approval for AI cooperation with China but emphasized the importance of fostering dialogue between technological leaders in both nations.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 2025 |title=OpenAI CEO discusses AI collaboration and regulatory challenges |url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3298396/openai-keen-work-china-ceo-sam-altman-says-deepseek-rattles-tech-market |access-date=February 17, 2025 |work=South China Morning Post}}</ref> In response to DeepSeek, OpenAI overhauled its security operations to better guard against [[industrial espionage]], particularly amid allegations that DeepSeek had improperly copied OpenAI's [[Knowledge distillation|distillation]] techniques.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Criddle |first1=Cristina |last2=Kinder |first2=Tabby |date=2025-07-08 |title=OpenAI clamps down on security after foreign spying threats |url=https://www.ft.com/content/f896c4d9-bab7-40a2-9e67-4058093ce250 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250708051955/https://www.ft.com/content/f896c4d9-bab7-40a2-9e67-4058093ce250 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |access-date=2025-07-08 |work=[[Financial Times]]}}</ref>
== Products and applications ==
{{main article |Products and applications of OpenAI}}
Notable products by OpenAI include:
* [[ChatGPT]]
* [[ChatGPT Deep Research]]
* [[DALL-E]]
* [[GPT-2]]
* [[GPT-3]]
* [[GPT-4]]
* [[GPT-5]]
* [[OpenAI Codex]]
* [[OpenAI Five]]
* [[OpenAI o1]]
* [[OpenAI o3]]
* [[SearchGPT]]
* [[Sora (text-to-video model)]]
* [[Whisper (speech recognition system)]]
* [[GPT-OSS]] (open-weights language models)
===
{{excerpt |Products and applications of OpenAI |API}}
=== Firing of Altman ===
{{Further|Removal of Sam Altman from OpenAI}}
[[File:Sam Altman TechCrunch SF 2019 Day 2 Oct 3 (cropped) (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|Sam Altman in 2019]]
On November 17, 2023, Sam Altman was removed as CEO when its board of directors (composed of [[Helen Toner]], [[Ilya Sutskever]], [[Adam D'Angelo]] and Tasha McCauley) cited a lack of confidence in him. Chief Technology Officer [[Mira Murati]] took over as interim CEO. [[Greg Brockman]], the president of OpenAI, was also removed as chairman of the board<ref>{{Cite web |title=OpenAI announces leadership transition |url=https://openai.com/blog/openai-announces-leadership-transition |access-date=November 17, 2023 |website=openai.com |language=en-US |archive-date=November 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117212221/https://openai.com/blog/openai-announces-leadership-transition |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="guard-17nov2023">{{cite news |last1=Montgomery |first1=Blake |last2=Anguiano |first2=Dani |date=November 17, 2023 |title=OpenAI fires co-founder and CEO Sam Altman for allegedly lying to company board |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/nov/17/openai-ceo-sam-altman-fired |access-date=November 17, 2023 |archive-date=November 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117210649/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/nov/17/openai-ceo-sam-altman-fired |url-status=live }}</ref> and resigned from the company's presidency shortly thereafter.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Peters |first1=Jay |title=OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman is leaving, too |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/17/23966277/openai-co-founder-greg-brockman-leaving |website=The Verge |language=en |date=November 18, 2023 |access-date=November 18, 2023 |archive-date=November 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118003259/https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/17/23966277/openai-co-founder-greg-brockman-leaving |url-status=live }}</ref> Three senior OpenAI researchers subsequently resigned: director of research and GPT-4 lead Jakub Pachocki, head of AI risk {{ill|Aleksander Mądry|pl}}, and researcher Szymon Sidor.<ref>{{cite news |title=Three Senior OpenAI Researchers Resign as Crisis Deepens |work=The Information |url=https://www.theinformation.com/articles/three-senior-openai-researchers-resign-as-crisis-deepens |access-date=November 18, 2023 |archive-date=November 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118065056/https://www.theinformation.com/articles/three-senior-openai-researchers-resign-as-crisis-deepens |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Edwards |first1=Benj |title=Details emerge of surprise board coup that ousted CEO Sam Altman at OpenAI |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/11/report-sutskever-led-board-coup-at-openai-that-ousted-altman-over-ai-safety-concerns/ |access-date=November 19, 2023 |work=Ars Technica |date=November 18, 2023 |language=en-us |archive-date=November 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231119020114/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/11/report-sutskever-led-board-coup-at-openai-that-ousted-altman-over-ai-safety-concerns/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
On November 18, 2023, there were reportedly talks of Altman returning as CEO amid pressure placed upon the board by investors such as Microsoft and [[Thrive Capital]], who objected to Altman's departure.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Keach Hagey |author2=Berber Jin |author3=Deepa Seetharaman |title=OpenAI Investors Trying to Get Sam Altman Back as CEO After Sudden Firing |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/openai-trying-to-get-sam-altman-back-4b728049 |website=WSJ |access-date=November 19, 2023 |archive-date=November 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118233153/https://www.wsj.com/tech/openai-trying-to-get-sam-altman-back-4b728049 |url-status=live }}</ref> Although Altman himself spoke in favor of returning to OpenAI, he has since stated that he considered starting a new company and bringing former OpenAI employees with him if talks to reinstate him didn't work out.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Metz |first1=Cade |last2=Isaac |first2=Mike |last3=Griffith |first3=Erin |title=Sam Altman Is Said to Be Discussing Return to OpenAI With Company's Board |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/18/technology/sam-altman-openai-board.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare |website=The New York Times |date=November 19, 2023 |access-date=November 19, 2023 |archive-date=November 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231119014720/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/18/technology/sam-altman-openai-board.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare |url-status=live }}</ref> The board members agreed "in principle" to resign if Altman returned.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Patel |first1=Nilay |title=OpenAI board in discussions with Sam Altman to return as CEO |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/18/23967199/breaking-openai-board-in-discussions-with-sam-altman-to-return-as-ceo |website=The Verge |language=en |date=November 18, 2023 |access-date=November 19, 2023 |archive-date=November 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118225333/https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/18/23967199/breaking-openai-board-in-discussions-with-sam-altman-to-return-as-ceo |url-status=live }}</ref> On November 19, 2023, negotiations with Altman to return failed and Murati was replaced by [[Emmett Shear]] as interim CEO.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Heath |first1=Alex |title=The deal to bring Sam Altman back to OpenAI has fallen apart |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/20/23967515/sam-altman-openai-board-fired-new-ceo |website=The Verge |language=en |date=November 20, 2023 |access-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120053238/https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/20/23967515/sam-altman-openai-board-fired-new-ceo |url-status=live }}</ref> The board initially contacted [[Anthropic]] CEO [[Dario Amodei]] (a former OpenAI executive) about replacing Altman, and proposed a [[Mergers and acquisitions|merger]] of the two companies, but both offers were declined.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dastin |first1=Jeffrey |title=OpenAI's board approached Anthropic CEO about top job and merger |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/openais-board-approached-anthropic-ceo-about-top-job-merger-sources-2023-11-21/ |website=Reuters |language=en |date=November 21, 2023 |access-date=November 21, 2023 |archive-date=November 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121203624/https://www.reuters.com/technology/openais-board-approached-anthropic-ceo-about-top-job-merger-sources-2023-11-21/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
On November 20, 2023, Microsoft CEO [[Satya Nadella]] announced Altman and Brockman would be joining Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team, but added that they were still committed to OpenAI despite recent events.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Warren |first1=Tom |title=Microsoft hires former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/20/23968829/microsoft-hires-sam-altman-greg-brockman-employees-openai |website=The Verge |language=en |date=November 20, 2023 |access-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120133123/https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/20/23968829/microsoft-hires-sam-altman-greg-brockman-employees-openai |url-status=live }}</ref> Before the partnership with Microsoft was finalized, Altman gave the board another opportunity to negotiate with him.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Patel |first1=Nilay |title=Sam Altman is still trying to return as OpenAI CEO |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/20/23969586/sam-altman-plotting-return-open-ai-microsoft |website=The Verge |language=en |date=November 20, 2023 |access-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120191138/https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/20/23969586/sam-altman-plotting-return-open-ai-microsoft |url-status=live }}</ref> About 738 of OpenAI's 770 employees, including Murati and Sutskever, signed an open letter stating they would quit their jobs and join Microsoft if the board did not rehire Altman and then resign.<ref>{{cite web |title=OpenAI Staff Near Total Mutiny With Threat to Jump to Microsoft |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/openai-staff-threaten-to-go-to-microsoft-if-board-doesnt-quit |website=Bloomberg |date=November 20, 2023 |language=en |access-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120201119/https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/openai-staff-threaten-to-go-to-microsoft-if-board-doesnt-quit |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Knight |first1=Will |title=OpenAI Staff Threaten to Quit Unless Board Resigns |url=https://www.wired.com/story/openai-staff-walk-protest-sam-altman/ |magazine=Wired |access-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120150129/https://www.wired.com/story/openai-staff-walk-protest-sam-altman/ |url-status=live }}</ref> This prompted OpenAI investors to consider legal action against the board as well.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tong |first1=Anna |last2=Hu |first2=Krystal |last3=Tong |first3=Anna |last4=Hu |first4=Krystal |title=Exclusive: OpenAI investors considering suing the board after CEO's abrupt firing |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/openai-investors-considering-suing-board-after-ceos-abrupt-firing-sources-2023-11-20/ |website=Reuters |language=en |date=November 20, 2023 |access-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120230652/https://www.reuters.com/technology/openai-investors-considering-suing-board-after-ceos-abrupt-firing-sources-2023-11-20/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In response, OpenAI management sent an internal memo to employees stating that negotiations with Altman and the board had resumed and would take some time.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lawler |first1=Richard |title=OpenAI exec to employees: "our number one goal remains to reunify OpenAI." |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/21/23970550/openai-exec-to-employees-our-number-one-goal-remains-to-reunify-openai |website=The Verge |language=en |date=November 21, 2023 |access-date=November 21, 2023 |archive-date=November 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121180928/https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/21/23970550/openai-exec-to-employees-our-number-one-goal-remains-to-reunify-openai |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{Anchor|Q*}}
On November 21, 2023, after continued negotiations, Altman and Brockman returned to the company in their prior roles along with a reconstructed board made up of new members [[Bret Taylor]] (as chairman) and [[Lawrence Summers]], with D'Angelo remaining.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Heath |first1=Alex |title=Breaking: Sam Altman to return as CEO of OpenAI |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/22/23967223/sam-altman-returns-ceo-open-ai |website=The Verge |language=en |date=November 22, 2023 |access-date=November 22, 2023 |archive-date=November 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122060733/https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/22/23967223/sam-altman-returns-ceo-open-ai |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite arXiv |title=Let's Verify Step by Step|eprint=2305.20050 |last1=Lightman |first1=Hunter |last2=Kosaraju |first2=Vineet |last3=Burda |first3=Yura |last4=Edwards |first4=Harri |last5=Baker |first5=Bowen |last6=Lee |first6=Teddy |last7=Leike |first7=Jan |last8=Schulman |first8=John |last9=Sutskever |first9=Ilya |last10=Cobbe |first10=Karl |date=2023 |class=cs.LG }}</ref> Concerns about Altman's response to this development, specifically regarding the discovery's potential safety implications, were reportedly raised with the company's board shortly before Altman's firing.<ref name="Anna Tong 2023 u135">{{cite web | last1=Tong | first1=Anna | last2=Dastin | first2=Jeffrey | last3=Hu | first3=Krystal | title=Exclusive: OpenAI researchers warned board of AI breakthrough ahead of CEO ouster, sources say | website=Reuters | date=November 23, 2023 | url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/sam-altmans-ouster-openai-was-precipitated-by-letter-board-about-ai-breakthrough-2023-11-22/ | access-date=November 23, 2023 | archive-date=December 11, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211175826/https://www.reuters.com/technology/sam-altmans-ouster-openai-was-precipitated-by-letter-board-about-ai-breakthrough-2023-11-22/ | url-status=live }}</ref> On November 29, 2023, OpenAI announced that an anonymous Microsoft employee had joined the board as a non-voting member to observe the company's operations;<ref>{{cite web |last1=Heath |first1=Alex |title=Microsoft joins OpenAI's board with Sam Altman officially back as CEO |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/29/23981848/sam-altman-back-open-ai-ceo-microsoft-board |website=The Verge |language=en |date=November 30, 2023 |access-date=December 14, 2023 |archive-date=December 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231214033303/https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/29/23981848/sam-altman-back-open-ai-ceo-microsoft-board |url-status=live }}</ref> Microsoft resigned from the board in July 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Microsoft ditches OpenAI board observer seat amid regulatory scrutiny |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/microsoft-ditches-openai-board-observer-seat-amid-regulatory-scrutiny-4469086 |access-date=July 10, 2024 |website=CNA |language=en |archive-date=July 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711100155/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/microsoft-ditches-openai-board-observer-seat-amid-regulatory-scrutiny-4469086 |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Content moderation contract with Sama ===
{{Broader|Content moderation and working conditions}}
In January 2023, OpenAI has been criticized for outsourcing the [[Labeled data|annotation of data sets]] to [[Sama (company)|Sama]], a company based in San Francisco that employed workers in [[Kenya]]. These annotations were used to train an AI model to detect toxicity, which could then be used to [[Content moderation|moderate toxic content]], notably from ChatGPT's training data and outputs. However, these pieces of text usually contained detailed descriptions of various types of violence, including sexual violence. The investigation uncovered that OpenAI began sending snippets of data to Sama as early as November 2021. The four Sama employees interviewed by ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' described themselves as mentally scarred. OpenAI paid Sama $12.50 per hour of work, and Sama was redistributing the equivalent of between $1.32 and $2.00 per hour post-tax to its annotators. Sama's spokesperson said that the $12.50 was also covering other implicit costs, among which were infrastructure expenses, quality assurance and management.<ref name="Time1">{{cite magazine |last1=Perrigo |first1=Billy |title=Exclusive: The $2 Per Hour Workers Who Made ChatGPT Safer |url=https://time.com/6247678/openai-chatgpt-kenya-workers/ |access-date=August 5, 2023 |magazine=Time |date=January 18, 2023 |language=en |archive-date=January 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119152814/https://time.com/6247678/openai-chatgpt-kenya-workers/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Lack of technological transparency ===
In March 2023, the company was also criticized for disclosing particularly few technical details about products like GPT-4, contradicting its initial commitment to openness and making it harder for independent researchers to replicate its work and develop safeguards. OpenAI cited competitiveness and safety concerns to justify this strategic turn. OpenAI's former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever argued in 2023 that open-sourcing increasingly capable models was increasingly risky, and that the safety reasons for not open-sourcing the most potent AI models would become "obvious" in a few years.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vincent |first1=James |title=OpenAI co-founder on company's past approach to openly sharing research: "We were wrong" |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/15/23640180/openai-gpt-4-launch-closed-research-ilya-sutskever-interview |access-date=August 20, 2023 |work=[[The Verge]] |date=March 15, 2023 |archive-date=March 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317210900/https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/15/23640180/openai-gpt-4-launch-closed-research-ilya-sutskever-interview |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Non-disparagement agreement ===
Before May 2025, OpenAI required departing employees to sign a lifelong [[Non-disclosure agreement|non-disparagement agreement]] forbidding them from criticizing OpenAI and acknowledging the existence of the agreement. [[Daniel Kokotajlo (researcher)|Daniel Kokotajlo]], a former employee, publicly stated that he forfeited his vested equity in OpenAI in order to leave without signing the agreement.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Piper |first=Kelsey |date=May 17, 2024 |title=ChatGPT can talk, but OpenAI employees sure can't |url=https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2024/5/17/24158478/openai-departures-sam-altman-employees-chatgpt-release |access-date=May 18, 2024 |website=Vox |language=en |archive-date=May 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518221431/https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2024/5/17/24158478/openai-departures-sam-altman-employees-chatgpt-release |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Christian |first=Jon |date=May 18, 2024 |title=OpenAI Employees Forced to Sign NDA Preventing Them From Ever Criticizing Company |url=https://futurism.com/the-byte/openai-nda-criticism |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518221433/https://futurism.com/the-byte/openai-nda-criticism |archive-date=May 18, 2024 |access-date=May 18, 2024 |website=[[Futurism (website)|Futurism]]}}</ref> Sam Altman stated that he was unaware of the equity cancellation provision, and that OpenAI never enforced it to cancel any employee's vested equity.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Getahun |first=Hannah |title=Sam Altman addresses 'potential equity cancellation' in OpenAI exit agreements after 2 high-profile departures |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-openai-nda-clause-vested-equity-ilya-sutskever-2024-5 |access-date=May 19, 2024 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US |archive-date=May 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519130546/https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-openai-nda-clause-vested-equity-ilya-sutskever-2024-5 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, leaked documents and emails refute this claim.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Piper |first=Kelsey |date=May 22, 2024 |title=Leaked OpenAI documents reveal aggressive tactics toward former employees |url=https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/351132/openai-vested-equity-nda-sam-altman-documents-employees |access-date=June 2, 2024 |website=Vox |language=en-US |archive-date=June 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601161425/https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/351132/openai-vested-equity-nda-sam-altman-documents-employees |url-status=live }}</ref> On May 23, 2024, OpenAI sent a memo releasing former employees from the agreement.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Field |first=Hayden |date=May 24, 2024 |title=OpenAI sends internal memo releasing former employees from controversial exit agreements |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/24/openai-sends-internal-memo-releasing-former-employees-from-non-disparagement-agreements-sam-altman.html |access-date=June 2, 2024 |website=CNBC |language=en |archive-date=May 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240530032655/https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/24/openai-sends-internal-memo-releasing-former-employees-from-non-disparagement-agreements-sam-altman.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Proposed shift from nonprofit control ===
OpenAI, Inc. was originally designed as a nonprofit in order to ensure that AGI "benefits all of humanity" rather than "the private gain of any person". In 2019, it created OpenAI Global, LLC, a capped-profit subsidiary controlled by the nonprofit. In December 2024, OpenAI proposed a restructuring plan to convert the capped-profit into a Delaware-based [[Benefit corporation|public benefit corporation]] (PBC), and to release it from the control of the nonprofit. The nonprofit would sell its control and other assets, getting equity in return, and would use it to fund and pursue separate charitable projects, including in science and education. OpenAI's leadership described the change as necessary to secure additional investments, and claimed that the nonprofit's founding mission to ensure AGI "benefits all of humanity" would be better fulfilled.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Booth |first=Harry |date=2025-04-24 |title=OpenAI Wants to Go For-Profit. Experts Say Regulators Should Step In |url=https://time.com/7279977/openai-for-profit-letter-elon-musk/ |access-date=2025-04-25 |magazine=TIME |language=en}}</ref>
The plan has been criticized by experts and former employees. A legal letter named "[https://notforprivategain.org/ Not For Private Gain]" asked the [[Attorney General of California|attorneys general of California]] and [[Attorney General of Delaware|Delaware]] to intervene, stating that the restructuring is illegal and would remove governance safeguards from the nonprofit and the attorneys general.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goldman |first=Sharon |title=Ex-OpenAI employees sign open letter to California AG: For-profit pivot poses 'palpable threat' to nonprofit mission |url=https://fortune.com/article/ex-openai-employees-california-ag-for-profit-pivot-threat-nonprofit-mission/ |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=Fortune |language=en}}</ref> The letter argues that OpenAI's complex structure was deliberately designed to remain accountable to its mission, without the conflicting pressure of maximizing profits. It contends that the nonprofit is best positioned to advance its mission of ensuring AGI benefits all of humanity by continuing to control OpenAI Global, LLC, whatever the amount of equity that it could get in exchange.<ref name="Piper-2025">{{Cite web |last=Piper |first=Kelsey |date=2025-04-24 |title=OpenAI's nonprofit structure was supposed to protect you. What went wrong? |url=https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/410261/openai-non-profit-transition-letter-sam-altman-artificial-intelligence |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=Vox |language=en-US}}</ref> PBCs can choose how they balance their mission with profit-making. Controlling shareholders have a large influence on how closely a PBC sticks to its mission.<ref name="Reuters-2025">{{Cite news |date=January 2, 2025 |title=OpenAI outlines new for-profit structure in bid to stay ahead in costly AI race |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/openai-lays-out-plan-shift-new-for-profit-structure-2024-12-27/ |work=Reuters}}</ref><ref name="Piper-2025" />
Legally, under nonprofit law, assets dedicated to a charitable purpose must continue to serve that purpose. To change its purpose, OpenAI would have to prove that its current purposes have become unlawful, impossible, impracticable, or wasteful.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 13, 2025 |title=OpenAI Conversion Sheds Nonprofit Purpose Without Justification |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/openai-conversion-sheds-nonprofit-purpose-without-justification}}</ref> Elon Musk, who had initiated a lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman in August 2024 alleging the company violated contract provisions by prioritizing profit over its mission, reportedly used this lawsuit to stop the restructuring plan.<ref name="Reuters-2025" /> On February 10, 2025, a consortium of investors led by Elon Musk submitted a $97.4 billion unsolicited bid to buy the nonprofit that controls OpenAI, declaring willingness to match or exceed any better offer.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hammond |first1=George |date=10 February 2025 |title=Elon Musk-led consortium offers $100bn to take control of OpenAI |url=https://www.ft.com/content/3a673ed2-26d5-47af-9028-8af7d742c2e7 |access-date=11 February 2025 |work=Financial Times}}</ref><ref name="Toonkel-2025">{{Cite news |last1=Toonkel |first1=Jessica |last2=Jin |first2=Berber |date=February 10, 2025 |title=Elon Musk-Led Group Makes $97.4 Billion Bid for Control of OpenAI |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/elon-musk-openai-bid-4af12827 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref> The offer was rejected on 14 February 2025, with OpenAI stating that it was not for sale,<ref>{{cite news |date=14 February 2025 |title=OpenAI rejects $97.4bn Musk bid and says company is not for sale |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/14/openai-elon-musk |access-date=15 February 2025 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> but the offer complicated Altman's restructuring plan by suggesting a lower bar for how much the nonprofit should be valued.<ref name="Toonkel-2025" />
In May 2025, the nonprofit's board chairman [[Bret Taylor]] announced that the nonprofit would renounce plans to cede control after outside pressure. The capped-profit still plans to transition to a PBC,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Field |first=Hayden |date=2025-05-05 |title=OpenAI says nonprofit will retain control of company, bowing to outside pressure |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/05/openai-says-nonprofit-retain-control-of-company-bowing-to-pressure.html |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref> which critics said would diminish the nonprofit's control.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-05-15 |title=Group that opposed OpenAI's restructuring raises concerns about new revamp plan |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/group-that-opposed-openais-restructuring-raises-concerns-about-new-revamp-plan-2025-05-15/ |work=Reuters}}</ref>
=== Copyright infringement in training data ===
OpenAI was sued for [[copyright infringement]] by authors [[Sarah Silverman]], [[Matthew Butterick]], [[Paul G. Tremblay|Paul Tremblay]] and [[Mona Awad]] in July 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Belanger |first=Ashley |date=July 10, 2023 |title=Sarah Silverman sues OpenAI, Meta for being "industrial-strength plagiarists" |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/07/book-authors-sue-openai-and-meta-over-text-used-to-train-ai/ |access-date=September 21, 2023 |website=[[Ars Technica]] |language=en-us |archive-date=September 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921134950/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/07/book-authors-sue-openai-and-meta-over-text-used-to-train-ai/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Krithika-2023">{{Cite web |last=Krithika |first=K. L. |date=August 21, 2023 |title=Legal Challenges Surround OpenAI: A Closer Look at the Lawsuits |url=https://analyticsindiamag.com/all-the-lawsuits-filed-against-openai/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823225353/https://analyticsindiamag.com/all-the-lawsuits-filed-against-openai/ |archive-date=August 23, 2023 |access-date=August 23, 2023 |website=Analytics India Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Abshire |first=Elisha |date=July 6, 2023 |title=OpenAI faces copyright lawsuit from authors Mona Awad and Paul Tremblay |url=https://dailyai.com/2023/07/openai-faces-copyright-lawsuit-from-authors-mona-awad-and-paul-tremblay/ |access-date=July 19, 2023 |website=Dailyai.com |language=en-uk |archive-date=July 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230718091105/https://dailyai.com/2023/07/openai-faces-copyright-lawsuit-from-authors-mona-awad-and-paul-tremblay/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In September 2023, 17 authors, including [[George R. R. Martin]], [[John Grisham]], [[Jodi Picoult]] and [[Jonathan Franzen]], joined the [[Authors Guild]] in filing a class action lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that the company's technology was illegally using their copyrighted work.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Belanger |first=Ashley |date=September 20, 2023 |title=Grisham, Martin join authors suing OpenAI: "There is nothing fair about this" [Updated] |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/09/george-r-r-martin-joins-authors-suing-openai-over-copyright-infringement/ |access-date=September 21, 2023 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=September 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921164338/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/09/george-r-r-martin-joins-authors-suing-openai-over-copyright-infringement/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Korn |first=Jennifer |date=September 20, 2023 |title=George R. R. Martin, Jodi Picoult and other famous writers join Authors Guild in class action lawsuit against OpenAI |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/20/tech/authors-guild-openai-lawsuit/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921141901/https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/20/tech/authors-guild-openai-lawsuit/index.html |archive-date=September 21, 2023 |access-date=September 21, 2023 |website=[[CNN Business]] |language=en}}</ref> The ''[[New York Times]]'' also sued the company in late December 2023.<ref name="Krithika-2023" /><ref>{{cite news |date=December 27, 2023 |title=NY Times sues OpenAI, Microsoft for infringing copyrighted works |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/ny-times-sues-openai-microsoft-infringing-copyrighted-work-2023-12-27 |access-date=December 27, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231230163134/https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/ny-times-sues-openai-microsoft-infringing-copyrighted-work-2023-12-27/ |archive-date=December 30, 2023 |work=Reuters}}</ref> In May 2024 it was revealed that OpenAI had destroyed its Books1 and Books2 training datasets, which were used in the [[GPT-3#Training and capabilities|training of GPT-3]], and which the Authors Guild believed to have contained over 100,000 copyrighted books.<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Darius Rafieyan |author2=Hasan Chowdhury |title=OpenAI destroyed a trove of books used to train AI models. The employees who collected the data are gone. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-destroyed-ai-training-datasets-lawsuit-authors-books-copyright-2024-5 |access-date=May 8, 2024 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US |quote=…Authors Guild said … the datasets likely contained "more than 100,000 published books" … central to its allegations that OpenAI used copyrighted materials to train AI models |archive-date=May 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240507235039/https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-destroyed-ai-training-datasets-lawsuit-authors-books-copyright-2024-5 |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2021, OpenAI developed a [[speech recognition]] tool called Whisper. OpenAI used it to transcribe more than one million hours of YouTube videos into text for training GPT-4. The automated transcription of YouTube videos raised concerns within OpenAI employees regarding potential violations of YouTube's terms of service, which prohibit the use of videos for applications independent of the platform, as well as any type of automated access to its videos. Despite these concerns, the project proceeded with notable involvement from OpenAI's president, [[Greg Brockman]]. The resulting dataset proved instrumental in training GPT-4.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Metz |first1=Cade |last2=Kang |first2=Cecilia |last3=Frenkel |first3=Sheera |last4=Thompson |first4=Stuart A. |last5=Grant |first5=Nico |date=April 6, 2024 |title=How Tech Giants Cut Corners to Harvest Data for A.I. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/06/technology/tech-giants-harvest-data-artificial-intelligence.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 21, 2024 |archive-date=May 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505040123/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/06/technology/tech-giants-harvest-data-artificial-intelligence.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
In February 2024, ''[[The Intercept]]'' as well as ''[[Raw Story]]'' and Alternate Media Inc. filed lawsuit against OpenAI on copyright litigation ground.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brittain |first=Blake |date=February 29, 2024 |title=OpenAI hit with new lawsuits from news outlets over AI training |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/openai-hit-with-new-lawsuits-news-outlets-over-ai-training-2024-02-28/ |access-date=March 24, 2024 |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref><ref>[https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/legaldocs/xmpjrjwjrpr/OPENAI%20RAW%20STORY%20LAWSUIT%20intercept.pdf OpenAI RAW STORY LAWSUIT INTERCEPT] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240328115412/https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/legaldocs/xmpjrjwjrpr/OPENAI%20RAW%20STORY%20LAWSUIT%20intercept.pdf|date=March 28, 2024}} - from [[Reuters]]</ref> The lawsuit is said to have charted a new legal strategy for digital-only publishers to sue OpenAI.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Intercept charts a new legal strategy for digital publishers suing OpenAI |url=https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/03/the-intercept-charts-a-new-legal-strategy-for-digital-publishers-suing-openai/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240328115412/https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/03/the-intercept-charts-a-new-legal-strategy-for-digital-publishers-suing-openai/ |archive-date=March 28, 2024 |access-date=March 28, 2024 |website=Nieman Lab}}</ref>
On April 30, 2024, eight newspapers filed a lawsuit in the [[United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York|Southern District of New York]] against OpenAI and Microsoft, claiming illegal harvesting of their copyrighted articles. The suing publications included ''[[The Mercury News]]'', ''[[The Denver Post]]'', ''[[The Orange County Register]]'', ''[[St. Paul Pioneer Press]]'', ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', ''[[Orlando Sentinel]]'', ''[[Sun Sentinel]]'', and ''[[New York Daily News]]''.<ref name="ebt-30apr2024">{{cite news |last1=Baron |first1=Ethan |date=April 30, 2024 |title=Mercury News and other papers sue Microsoft, OpenAI over the new artificial intelligence |url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2024/04/30/mercury-news-and-other-papers-sue-microsoft-openai-over-the-new-artificial-intelligence/ |access-date=April 30, 2024 |work=[[East Bay Times]] |archive-date=April 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430162841/https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2024/04/30/mercury-news-and-other-papers-sue-microsoft-openai-over-the-new-artificial-intelligence/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== GDPR compliance ===
In April 2023, the EU's [[European Data Protection Board]] (EDPB) formed a dedicated task force on ChatGPT "to foster cooperation and to exchange information on possible enforcement actions conducted by data protection authorities" based on the "enforcement action undertaken by the Italian data protection authority against Open AI about the Chat GPT service".<ref>{{cite web |title=EDPB resolves dispute on transfers by Meta and creates task force on Chat GPT |url=https://edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2023/edpb-resolves-dispute-transfers-meta-and-creates-task-force-chat-gpt_en |website=EDPB resolves dispute on transfers by Meta and creates task force on Chat GPT |access-date=November 22, 2023 |archive-date=November 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122215754/https://edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2023/edpb-resolves-dispute-transfers-meta-and-creates-task-force-chat-gpt_en |url-status=live }}</ref>
In late April 2024 [[NOYB]] filed a complaint with the [[Austria]]n Datenschutzbehörde against OpenAI for violating the European [[General Data Protection Regulation]]. A text created with ChatGPT gave a false [[date of birth]] for a living person without giving the individual the option to see the personal data used in the process. A request to correct the mistake was denied. Additionally, neither the recipients of ChatGPT's work nor the sources used, could be made available, OpenAI claimed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ChatGPT verbreitet falsche Infos über Personen – und OpenAI kann nichts tun |url=https://noyb.eu/de/chatgpt-provides-false-information-about-people-and-openai-cant-correct-it |access-date=April 29, 2024 |website=noyb.eu |archive-date=April 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240429054826/https://noyb.eu/de/chatgpt-provides-false-information-about-people-and-openai-cant-correct-it |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Use by military ===
OpenAI was criticized for lifting its ban on using ChatGPT for "military and warfare". Up until January 10, 2024, its "usage policies" included a ban on "activity that has high risk of physical harm, including", specifically, "weapons development" and "military and warfare". Its new policies prohibit "[using] our service to harm yourself or others" and to "develop or use weapons".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://theintercept.com/2024/01/12/open-ai-military-ban-chatgpt/ | title=OpenAI Quietly Deletes Ban on Using ChatGPT for "Military and Warfare" | date=January 12, 2024 | access-date=January 13, 2024 | archive-date=January 25, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240125091034/https://theintercept.com/2024/01/12/open-ai-military-ban-chatgpt/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=January 16, 2024 |title=OpenAI Is Working With US Military on Cybersecurity Tools |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-16/openai-working-with-us-military-on-cybersecurity-tools-for-veterans |access-date=January 23, 2024 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en |archive-date=January 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240126131713/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-16/openai-working-with-us-military-on-cybersecurity-tools-for-veterans |url-status=live }}</ref>
As one of the industry collaborators, OpenAI provides [[Large language model|LLMs]] to the [[DARPA Prize Competitions|Artificial Intelligence Cyber Challenge]] (AIxCC), which is sponsored by the [[DARPA|Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency]] (DARPA), and to the [[Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=OpenAI {{!}} AIxCC |url=https://aicyberchallenge.com/openai/ |website=Artificial Intelligence Cyber Challenge |access-date=March 30, 2024 |archive-date=March 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330202438/https://aicyberchallenge.com/openai/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In October 2024, [[The Intercept]] revealed that OpenAI's tools are considered "essential" for [[United States Africa Command|AFRICOM]]'s mission and included in an "Exception to Fair Opportunity" contractual agreement between the [[United States Department of Defense]] and [[Microsoft]].<ref name="intercept-africom">{{Cite web |last=Biddle |first=Sam |date=2024-10-25 |title=Pentagon Purchased OpenAI Tools for Military Operations Across Africa |url=https://theintercept.com/2024/10/25/africom-microsoft-openai-military/ |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=The Intercept |language=en-US |archive-date=October 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241026211326/https://theintercept.com/2024/10/25/africom-microsoft-openai-military/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In December 2024, OpenAI said it would partner with defense-tech company [[Anduril Industries|Anduril]] to build drone defense technologies for the United States and its allies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=OpenAI's new defense contract completes its military pivot |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/12/04/1107897/openais-new-defense-contract-completes-its-military-pivot |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=MIT Technology Review |language=en}}</ref>
In 2025, OpenAI's Chief Product Officer, [[Kevin Weil]], was commissioned [[lieutenant colonel]] in the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] to join [[Detachment 201]] as senior advisor.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-13 |title=Army Launches Detachment 201: Executive Innovation Corps to Drive Tech Transformation |url=https://www.army.mil/article/286317/army_launches_detachment_201_executive_innovation_corps_to_drive_tech_transformation |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=www.army.mil |language=en}}</ref>
In June 2025, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded OpenAI a $200 million one-year contract to develop AI tools for military and national security applications. OpenAI announced a new program, OpenAI for Government, to give federal, state, and local governments access to its models, including ChatGPT.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-17 |title=OpenAI Gets Pentagon Contract as Tech Companies Eye Defense Sector — 2nd Update |url=https://www.morningstar.com/news/dow-jones/202506175775/openai-gets-pentagon-contract-as-tech-companies-eye-defense-sector-2nd-update |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=Morningstar, Inc. |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Katherine |title=OpenAI is going big into government tech |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/open-ai-going-big-defense-tech-new-pentagon-deal-2025 |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Data scraping ===
In June 2023, a lawsuit claimed that OpenAI scraped 300 billion words online without consent and without registering as a data broker. It was filed in [[San Francisco]], [[California]], by sixteen anonymous plaintiffs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Riley |first=Tonya |date=2023-06-30 |title=OpenAI lawsuit reignites privacy debate over data scraping |url=https://cyberscoop.com/openai-lawsuit-privacy-data-scraping/ |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=CyberScoop |language=en-US}}</ref> They also claimed that OpenAI and its partner as well as customer [[Microsoft]] continued to unlawfully collect and use personal data from millions of consumers worldwide to train artificial intelligence models.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Xiang |first1=Chloe |title=OpenAI and Microsoft Sued for $3 Billion Over Alleged ChatGPT 'Privacy Violations' |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/openai-and-microsoft-sued-for-dollar3-billion-over-alleged-chatgpt-privacy-violations/ |work=Vice |date=June 29, 2023 |language=en |access-date=July 13, 2024 |archive-date=July 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713042222/https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxjxgx/openai-and-microsoft-sued-for-dollar3-billion-over-alleged-chatgpt-privacy-violations |url-status=live }}</ref>
On May 22, 2024, OpenAI entered into an agreement with [[News Corp]] to integrate news content from ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', the ''[[New York Post]]'', ''[[The Times]]'', and ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' into its AI platform. Meanwhile, other publications like ''[[The New York Times]]'' chose to sue OpenAI and [[Microsoft]] for copyright infringement over the use of their content to train AI models.<ref>{{cite news|title=OpenAI and Wall Street Journal owner News Corp sign content deal |date=May 22, 2024 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/article/2024/may/22/openai-chatgpt-news-corp-deal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523030813/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/article/2024/may/22/openai-chatgpt-news-corp-deal |archive-date=May 23, 2024 |access-date=May 23, 2024}}</ref> In November 2024, a coalition of Canadian news outlets, including the [[Toronto Star]], [[Metroland Media Group|Metroland Media]], [[Postmedia Network|Postmedia]], [[The Globe and Mail]], [[The Canadian Press]] and [[CBC News|CBC]], sued OpenAI for using their news articles to train its software without permission.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Major Canadian news outlets sue OpenAI |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm27247j6gno |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=www.bbc.com |date=November 29, 2024 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
=== Suicide of Suchir Balaji ===
{{Further|Suchir Balaji}}[[Suchir Balaji]], a former researcher at OpenAI, was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on November 26, 2024. Independent investigations carried out by the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) and the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) concluded that Balaji shot himself.<ref name="sf-standard" />
The death occurred 34 days after a ''New York Times'' interview in which he accused OpenAI of violating copyright law in developing its commercial LLMs, one of which (GPT-4) he had helped engineer. He was also a likely witness in a major copyright trial against the AI company, and was one of several of its current or former employees named in ''The New York Times''{{'}}s court filings as potentially having documents relevant to the case. The death led to speculation and [[conspiracy theories]] suggesting he had been deliberately silenced.<ref name="sf-standard" >{{Cite web |date=2025-02-15 | first= Tomoki | last= Chien |title=Autopsy: No foul play in OpenAI whistleblower's suicide |url=https://sfstandard.com/2025/02/14/autopsy-no-foul-play-in-openai-whistleblowers-suicide/ |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=The San Francisco Standard |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Mercury-jan-31">{{cite web |last=Rodgers |first=Jakob |date=2025-01-31 |title=Family of OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji files lawsuit seeking San Francisco police records |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/01/31/family-of-openai-whistleblower-suchir-balaji-files-lawsuit-seeking-san-francisco-police-records/ |accessdate=2025-02-22 |website=[[The Mercury News]]}}</ref> [[Elon Musk]], [[Tucker Carlson]], California Congressman [[Ro Khanna]], and San Francisco Supervisor [[Jackie Fielder]] have publicly echoed Balaji's parents' skepticism and calls for an investigation.<ref name="rokhanna">{{cite news |last=Rodgers |first=Jakob |date=January 15, 2025 |title=California Congressman Ro Khanna calls for 'full and transparent' investigation into death of OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/15/openai-whistleblower-death/ | archiveurl= https://archive.today/20250130154936/https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/15/openai-whistleblower-death/ | archivedate= 2025-01-30| url-status= live |work= [[Chicago Tribune]] |agency=[[Bay Area News Group]] |access-date=January 30, 2025}}</ref><ref name="sfexaminer-jan-23">{{cite web| first= Troy | last= Wolverton | date= 2025-01-23 | title= Family, officials urge inquiry into OpenAI whistleblower's death | website= [[San Francisco Examiner]] | url=https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/technology/bay-area-officials-say-suchir-balaji-death-must-prompt-probe/article_8f1d1596-d923-11ef-8109-7f47649f523f.html | accessdate= 2025-01-24}}</ref>
In February 2025, the OCME autopsy and SFPD police reports were released. A joint letter from both agencies to the parents' legal team noted that he had purchased the firearm used two years prior to his death, and had recently searched for brain anatomy information on his computer. The letter also highlighted that his apartment's only entrance was dead-bolted from inside with no signs of forced entry.<ref name="sf-standard" />
===Privacy backlash over ChatGPT's search results ===
In August 2025, OpenAI was criticized after thousands of private ChatGPT conversations were inadvertently exposed to public search engines like Google due to an experimental "share with search engines" feature. The opt-in toggle, intended to allow users to make specific chats discoverable, resulted in some discussions including personal details such as names, locations, and intimate topics appearing in search results when users accidentally enabled it while sharing links. OpenAI announced the feature's permanent removal on August 1, 2025, and the company began coordinating with search providers to remove the exposed content, emphasizing that it was not a security breach but a design flaw that heightened privacy risks. CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the issue in a podcast, noting users often treat ChatGPT as a confidant for deeply personal matters, which amplified concerns about AI handling sensitive data.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-removes-chatgpt-feature-over-search-engine-privacy-concerns-2025-7|title=OpenAI quickly rolled back a new feature that allowed users to make private conversations with ChatGPT searchable|first=Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert, Henry|last=Chandonnet|website=Business Insider}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/08/chatgpt-users-shocked-to-learn-their-chats-were-in-google-search-results/|title=ChatGPT users shocked to learn their chats were in Google search results|first=Ashley|last=Belanger|date=August 1, 2025|website=Ars Technica}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/openai-rolls-back-new-chatgpt-feature-just-hours-after-launch-top-exec-says-we-removed-a-feature-from-chatgpt-app-that-allowed-users-to-/articleshow/123045328.cms|title=OpenAI rolls back new ChatGPT feature just hours after launch, top exec says: We removed a feature from ChatGPT app that allowed users to ...|work=The Times of India |date=August 1, 2025|via=The Economic Times - The Times of India}}</ref>
== See also ==
{{Portal |Companies|San Francisco Bay Area|Technology}}
* {{annotated link|Anthropic}}
* {{annotated link|Center for AI Safety}}
* {{annotated link|Future of Life Institute}}
* {{annotated link|Google DeepMind}}
* {{annotated link|Machine Intelligence Research Institute}}
* {{annotated link|Model Context Protocol}}
* {{annotated link|xAI (company)}}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== Further reading ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite magazine |last=Levy |first=Steven |author-link=Steven Levy |date=September 5, 2023 |title=What OpenAI Really Wants |url=https://www.wired.com/story/what-openai-really-wants |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |issn=1078-3148 |access-date=September 6, 2023 |archive-date=September 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906191725/https://www.wired.com/story/what-openai-really-wants/ |url-status=live }}
* {{Cite magazine |last=Duhigg |first=Charles |author-link=Charles Duhigg |date=December 1, 2023 |title=The Inside Story of Microsoft's Partnership with OpenAI |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/12/11/the-inside-story-of-microsofts-partnership-with-openai |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |issn=0028-792X |access-date=January 15, 2024 |archive-date=December 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231222230940/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/12/11/the-inside-story-of-microsofts-partnership-with-openai |url-status=live }}
{{refend}}
== External links ==
{{Commons category|OpenAI}}
* {{Official website}}
{{OpenAI}}
{{Generative AI}}
{{Existential risk from artificial intelligence}}
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