OpenAI’s New AGI Scale: A Step Closer to the Future of AI

OpenAI has just dropped a fresh new way to track our journey toward artificial general intelligence , unveiling a five-level classification system at their all-hands meeting.

Think of it as a ladder to AI greatness, where each rung brings us closer to sci-fi-level smarts. Here’s the scoop:

- Level 1: Chatbots that can hold a decent convo.

- Level 2: "Reasoners" that can tackle human-level problems.

- Levels 3 to 5: Super AIs that could potentially run the show.

Currently, OpenAI's creations, including our friend ChatGPT, are chilling at level one but are gearing up to hit level two soon. This progress is stirring up quite the curiosity, given the billions invested in the race to create AGI that could rival or even outsmart us.

But not everyone’s popping the champagne just yet.

John Burden from Cambridge’s Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence warns that reaching level two could mean AI starts making decisions that might not always please us. Meanwhile, Oxford’s Hannah Kirk reminds us that climbing to the top of this scale will need more than just brainpower—think coordination and social smarts. So, as we edge closer to AGI, the journey promises to be as thrilling as it is complex.

All that to say this—AI’s future is just getting warmed up!

Generative AI Revolutionizing the Workplace

Generative AI is rapidly transforming the landscape for knowledge workers, and the pace of adoption is unprecedented. A recent global study of over 2,200 professionals in fields like law, tax, and accounting reveals a wave of excitement about how generative AI is enhancing their work and improving work-life balance.

The second annual Future of Professionals survey found that 63% of respondents are already using generative AI to draft documents, summarize information, and conduct basic research. More than three-quarters see AI as a force for good, predicting that over half of professional work will use AI within five years.

The big wins? Increased work value (38%), boosted efficiency and productivity (26%), and more free time (28%). This optimistic outlook challenges the doom-and-gloom job loss predictions, with only 10% of respondents worried about widespread unemployment.

Looking ahead, professionals expect AI to transform their careers by automating mundane tasks, freeing them up for more meaningful work. Nearly 60% of respondents hope for a better work-life balance, while 42% want to dive into engaging, creative tasks.

For U.S. lawyers, this could mean a whopping 266 million extra hours of productivity per year, translating into major economic gains. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows—concerns about over-reliance on AI, data security, and ethical use are real.

The challenge for the tech community is to innovate responsibly, ensuring AI enhances rather than replaces professional judgment. The future of AI? It's in our hands to shape responsibly. Buckle up, because the AI revolution is just getting started!

Microsoft and Apple Ease Antitrust Concerns

Microsoft and Apple are making moves to cool down the antitrust heat around their involvement with OpenAI. Microsoft has decided to relinquish its role as an observer on OpenAI's board, while Apple has opted not to take up a similar spot, according to news outlets like the Financial Times. Microsoft, which had no voting rights, made the move to ease regulators' concerns over its influence on OpenAI. The company initially gained the observer role after the brief ousting of Sam Altman as OpenAI's CEO in November. But after witnessing "significant progress" in the past eight months, Microsoft deemed the seat unnecessary. In a letter to OpenAI, Microsoft expressed confidence in the AI firm's direction.

The decision is seen as a strategic response to the ongoing competition and antitrust scrutiny that Big Tech faces. Alex Haffner, a competition lawyer at Fladgate, highlighted that Microsoft's move is likely influenced by the intense focus regulators have on the complex relationships between tech giants and emerging AI players. Microsoft's billion-dollar investment in OpenAI, which includes a significant profit-sharing arrangement and reliance on Microsoft's cloud services, has undoubtedly caught regulators' eyes. With both the Federal Trade Commission and the UK's Competition and Markets Authority investigating, Microsoft is keen to show it's playing fair.

Meanwhile, Apple is also stepping back from its plan to take a board-observer role with OpenAI, following Microsoft's lead. This comes after Apple's announcement at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June about its partnership with OpenAI, integrating ChatGPT into its devices as part of a broader AI strategy. The retreat by both tech moguls underscores the mounting antitrust scrutiny over Big Tech's grip on AI. With European regulators also assessing the partnerships, it's clear that the moves by Microsoft and Apple are aimed at mitigating regulatory concerns. Whether these steps will be enough to satisfy the watchdogs remains to be seen, but it's certainly a strategic play in the high-stakes world of AI.

Google Drops Carbon-Neutral Promise Amid AI Emission Spike

After 17 years, Google has dropped its carbon-neutral promise due to a spike in emissions driven by its AI ambitions, according to its latest environmental report. Since 2007, Google has been proud to say it matches its emissions with clean-energy purchases. However, since 2023 the company has struggled to maintain operational carbon neutrality.

• Emissions Surge: Google’s greenhouse gas emissions have jumped nearly 50% since 2019.

• Blame Game: The surge is due to the increased energy demands of AI compute and the infrastructure required to support it.

• Big AI Investments: Google is pouring nearly $100 billion into AI over the next few years, spearheaded by Google DeepMind's chief executive, Demis Hassabis.

Instead of carbon neutrality, Google is setting its sights on a new goal: reaching net-zero emissions by 2030. But what’s the difference? Carbon neutrality involves offsetting emissions through activities like planting trees, while net-zero focuses on reducing emissions at the source and then offsetting the remainder.

• New Goal: Net-zero emissions by 2030.

• Key Differences: Carbon neutral means offsetting emissions; net-zero means reducing emissions first and then offsetting.

• Challenges Ahead: Achieving net-zero will require solving complex technical, logistical, economic, and financial issues.

This pivot aims to create a more "certain" and "scalable" environmental impact, addressing criticisms of the carbon-neutral approach. Critics argue that simple carbon offset activities might not effectively balance out emissions. Google hopes that by reducing emissions and offsetting what remains, it will make a more significant environmental impact. Buckle up, because the race to net-zero is going to be a wild ride!