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OpenAI to become for-profit company

reuters.com

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Re: OpenAI to become for-profit company

#531

Post by throwaway314155 »

throwup238 wrote: post #352

I’m confused by this news story and the response here. No one seems to understand OpenAI’s corporate structure or non profits at all. My understanding: OpenAI follows the same model Mozilla does. The nonprofit has owned a for-profit corporation called OpenAI Global, LLC that pays taxes on any revenue that isn’t directly in service of their mission (in a very narrow sense based on judicial precedent) since 2019 [1]. I…

It's about the narrative they tried to create. The spin. It doesn't matter much if they were technically behaving as a for-profit entity previously. What matters is that they wanted the public (and likely, their talent) to _think_ that they weren't even interested in making a profit as this would be a philosophical threat to the notion of any sort of impartial or even hopefully benevolent originator of AGI (a goal which is laid plainly in their mission statement).

As you've realized, this should have been (and was) obvious for a long time. But that doesn't make it any less hypocritical or headline worthy.

Re: OpenAI to become for-profit company

#532

Post by PlattypusRex »

Drakim wrote: post #424
ceejayoz wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone tends to have "be able to afford basic necessities" as a major motivation. That includes people who work in creative fields.

Several of the agricultural revolutions we went though is what freed up humanity to not spend all of it's work producing sustenance, leaving time for other professions like making art and music. But it also destroyed a lot of jobs for people who were necessary for gathering food the old inefficient way. If we take your argument to it's logical conclusion, all progress is inherently bad, and should be stopped. I depos…

The net result was positive in that new jobs were created for every farming job lost, as people moved to cities.

If AI replaces millions of jobs, it will be a net negative in job availability for working class people.

I agree with your last point, the way the system is set up is incompatible with the looming future.

Re: OpenAI to become for-profit company

#533

Post by exe34 »

jstummbillig wrote: post #372
lioeters wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Scraping the entire internet for training data without regard for copyright or attribution - specifically to use for generative AI to produce similar content for profit. How this is being allowed to happen legally is baffling. It does suit the modus operandi of a number of American companies that start out as literally illegal/criminal operations until they get big and rich enough to pay a fine for their youthful mis…

It's not baffling at all. It's unprecedented and it's hugely beneficial to our species. The anti-AI stance is what is baffling to me. The path trotten is what got us here and obviously nobody could have paid people upfront for the wild experimentation that was necessary. The only alternative is not having done it. Given the path it has put as in, people either are insanely cruel or just completely detached from reali…

is anybody anti AI? or anti stealing other people's copyrighted material, competing with them with subpar quality, forcing AI as a solution whether or not it actually works, privatising the profits while socialising the costs and losses?

Re: OpenAI to become for-profit company

#534

Post by PlattypusRex »

brvsft wrote: post #304
esafak wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They might be motivated to pay their bills. Weird people.

Right, people were trying to 'pay their bills' with content that was freely shared such that AI could take advantage of it. Weird people. Or we're all talking about and envisioning some specific little subset of artists. I suspect you're trying to pretend that someone with a literal set of paintbrushes living in a shitty loft is somehow having their original artwork stolen by AI despite no high resolution photography…

I guess it's their fault for not being clairvoyant before AI arrived, and for sharing their portfolio with others online to advertise their skills for commissions to pay for food and rent.

Re: OpenAI to become for-profit company

#536

Post by jdavdc »

kweingar wrote: post #219

Can anybody explain how this actually works? What happens to all of the non-profit's assets? They can't just give it away for investors to own. The non-profit could maybe sell its assets to investors, but then what would it do with the money? I'm sure OpenAI has an explanation, but I really want to hear more details. In the most simple analysis of "non-profit becomes for-profit", there's really no way to square it ot…

My expertise is in NFP hospitals. Generally, when they convert for for-profit part of that deal is the creation of a foundation funded with assets that are ostensibly to advance the original not for profit mission.

Re: OpenAI to become for-profit company

#537

Post by squidsoup »

crystal_revenge wrote: post #432
Havoc wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That was the point musk was complaining about. In practice it’s doable though. You can just create a new legal entity and move stuff and/or do future value creating activity in the new co. IF everyone is on board with the plan on both sides of the move then that’s totally doable with enough lawyers and accountants

> That was the point musk was complaining about. I think the real issue Musk was complaining about is that sama is quickly becoming very wealthy and powerful and Musk doesn't want any competition in this space. Hopefully some people watching all this realize that the people running many of these big AI related projects don't care about AI . Sam Altman is selling a dream about AGI to help make himself both wealthier a…

The notion that consciousness is going to emerge in a system where neurons are modelled as bits is laughable.

Re: OpenAI to become for-profit company

#538

Post by archagon »

CamperBob2 wrote: post #506
archagon wrote: post #442

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As I recall, the Luddites were reacting to the replacement of their jobs with industrialized low-cost labor. Today, many of our clothes are made in sweatshops using what amounts to child and slave labor. Maybe it would have been better for humanity if the Luddites won.

No, it would not have been better for humanity if the Luddites had won. You'd have to be misguided, ignorant, or both to believe something like that. It is not possible to rehabilitate the Luddites. If you insist on attempting to do so, there are better venues.

This venue seems great to me. The topic has come up many times in the past: https://hn.algolia.com/?q=luddite

Re: OpenAI to become for-profit company

#540

Post by squidsoup »

cbeach wrote: post #71
cebu_blue wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Elon Musk isn't "advancing humanity".

I'm sure there were people that claimed Nikola Tesla or Henry Ford weren't "advancing humanity" at the time. There will always be people who disagree with the politics/opinions/alleigances of a successful person and who wish to downplay their success for selfish reasons.

Please don't besmirch Tesla's good name by comparing him to Musk.
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