OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever announces departure

OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever announced his departure Tuesday from the startup that ignited an artificial intelligence tech race with its release of ChatGPT.

On X, Sutskever shared on his personal platform, formerly Twitter, that he was bidding farewell after nearly a decade at OpenAI, describing the journey as nothing short of miraculous. He expressed confidence in OpenAI's ability to develop AGI, digital technology striving to match or surpass human cognition, in a safe and beneficial manner.

Having served as OpenAI’s chief scientist and part of the board that decided to remove CEO Sam Altman in November, Sutskever found himself amidst the turmoil that followed. The decision to reinstate Altman, prompted by dissent from staff and investors, reshaped the dynamics within the San Francisco-based startup. Though Sutskever's board position wasn't renewed, he continued his role at OpenAI.

In his parting message, Sutskever conveyed gratitude to his colleagues, expressing how much he would miss working alongside them. He also hinted at focusing on a personal endeavor moving forward.

Meanwhile, OpenAI unveiled GPT-4o, an upgraded and more human-like iteration of its AI technology, which powers ChatGPT. This advanced model would soon be accessible to all users, with the company emphasizing its capabilities in understanding voice, text, and images.

Altman likened the experience of interacting with GPT-4o to something out of a sci-fi movie, echoing his aspiration for AI interactions akin to those depicted in "Her," where Scarlett Johansson's character serves as inspiration.

At the same time, Google showcased its latest AI developments at its annual developers conference, signaling intense competition among tech giants like Microsoft, Meta (formerly Facebook), and Anthropic to dominate the generative AI landscape.

Reflecting on the future, Sutskever, in a TED AI summit talk, anticipated a time when digital intelligence surpasses human capabilities, foreseeing profound impacts across all facets of life.