What Microsoft Executives Thought of OpenAI in 2018
OpenAI’s relationship with Microsoft, its longtime investor and cloud partner, has grown increasingly complex over the years as the ChatGPT-maker has transformed into a formidable competitor. But even before it became one, Microsoft executives had reservations about supporting the lab financially.
Microsoft’s Early Stance on OpenAI
An email chain from 2018, shown in federal court during the Musk v. Altman trial, reveals how Microsoft at the time was hesitant to provide additional funding despite OpenAI’s promising work. The emails indicate that while Microsoft executives visited OpenAI and saw no immediate breakthroughs towards artificial general intelligence (AGI), they worried about pushing OpenAI into Amazon’s orbit as a cloud provider.
Microsoft’s Concerns
In 2017, much of OpenAI’s work was focused on developing AI systems that could play video games. Microsoft executives noted that the lab needed five times more computing power than initially secured from them to continue its project. The emails suggest that while some executives saw potential in associating with OpenAI for marketing purposes, others were wary of financial risks and potential loss of competitive advantage.
The Evolution of Microsoft’s Relationship
By 2018, as Microsoft committed to a $1 billion investment after creating a for-profit arm that provided the tech giant with significant returns, its stance on OpenAI had evolved. The email chain shows how executives at different levels within Microsoft weighed their options and expressed reservations about funding OpenAI.
Key Takeaways
- Microsoft’s initial reluctance to provide additional financial support to OpenAI, despite its promising work in 2017.
- The concern that not supporting OpenAI could lead it towards Amazon, the dominant cloud provider at the time.
- Evolution of Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI from a reluctant supporter to one providing significant funding over years.
Originally published at wired.com. Curated by AI Maestro.
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