OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Looks Beyond GPT-5: Future Plans for Apps and Devices and AI-Driven Experiences
San Francisco, CA — On March 26, 2023, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, had dinner with reporters set against the beautiful backdrop of San Francisco Bay. It was interesting to see the barely disguised energy that the leaders of OpenAI carried because for such a big company, not much is actually known about its projects. Altman and other senior executives of the company were more than ready to spill the beans about OpenAI’s more immediate and long-term goals.
GPT-5: A Mixed Reception but Record Usage
Altman made sure to discuss the newly released GPT-5 and the broad criticisms that were directed to it. While some felt that it improved usability and addressed the monotony that GPT-4 carried, a good portion of the public and professionals alike were almost ecstatic in their disdain. A public sentiment pervasive enough to prompt OpenAI to switch back and enable the GPT-4 model in GPT-4o, and also lift the restrictions on the model picker, pretty much indicates that the anger is warranted. For a company that prides itself on AI models, failing with GPT-5 is a troubling sign.
Even with the GPT-5 warm reviews it has received, it still broke usage records. According to Altman, API traffic increased 2x withing 48 hours, well surpassing the limit OpenAI had for GPUs. Many AI coding assistants, such as Cursor, have already integrated GPT-5 as the default. This weird intersection in which Open AI lies in, is where users feel this new technology has insubstantial advancements, while in reality, the developers are using it worldwide.
Shifting Focus from AI Models
As Altman puts it, GPT-5 is just the piece of a much larger puzzle. OpenAI is increasingly positioning itself as a company which also works in other technologies, not just a provider of models. He emphasized that, ” AI model launches are no longer the center of gravity,” as the company will now shift to consumer hardware, enterprise tools, as well as other applications that are geared to innovating entire industries.
One of the most signficiant moves involves Fidji Simo, the new Applications CEO who previously led Instacart. She will spearhead the development of new consumer products not emanating from the ever-growing ChatGPT. One which is promising is the AI powered web browser to rival the Google Chrome, or one that works as a social media platform using AI to revolutionize the ways in which users communicate online.
Altman even suggested that OpenAI might think about buying Chrome if Google were ever to sell it — this emphasizes the company’s ambition to compete head-on with the biggest players in tech.
The Future of AI Devices
The talk included OpenAI’s rumored AI device that is being developed with Jony Ive, Apple’s former Chief of Design. Altman hinted that the device’s design will be so stunning that it will be offensive to “put a case over it.” OpenAI’s aim is definitely clear — to design an AI model that seamlessly integrates into one’s daily life.
The company seems to be targeting legacy consumer electronics players not just to come out with new devices, but to expand the ways in which user interaction with artificial intelligence is done beyond the traditional apps.
Exploring Brain-Computer Interfaces
In one of the evening’s more futuristic reveals, Altman confirmed OpenAI’s interest in investing in brain-computer interface startup Merge Labs, which positions itself to rival Elon Musk’s Neuralink. While he stated that no deal has been made, he noted that OpenAI is interested in attempting to support technology that connects human thoughts with machine intelligence.
How these efforts will integrate with OpenAI’s models and products is unclear, but this does show that the company is willing to invest in innovative, long-term endeavors.
Lessons Learned from GPT-5
Pandemic browsers, social platforms, and even brain chips seemed to engross everyone, but during the dinner, Altman and Vice President of Chat GPT, Nick Turley, shifted their focus back to GPT-5. It was clear to both that the rollout was less than ideal.
When discussing the rollout, Altman spoke up and admitted that the transition from GPT-4o to GPT-4 was poorly handled. As he noted, users were irritated by the abrupt change. He promised that, in the future, model changes would be communicated in a clearer way and would come with longer transition phases.
On his part, Turley said that GPT-5 is in the process of receiving updates to make its output feel warmer and more empathetic without crossing the threshold of excessive praise or negative reinforcement. His firm has partnered with mental health professionals to make sure the model is not too helpful or too unhelpful.
Acknowledging this, Altman further added that even if less than one percent of the users are developing unhealthy dependencies on Chat GPT, because the application has hundreds of millions of users, that “small percentage” would translate to millions. OpenAI has designed a balanced strategy to respond to the issues while maintaining ChatGPT as a dependable and supportive companion.
What’s Next for OpenAI
OpenAI’s vision looks to encompass much more than the creator of ChatGPT. The company seems to be expanding in the direction of models of AI, hardware, applications, data centers, and even robotics, which seems to bring to mind an even more ambitious version of Alphabet, which is the parent company of Google.
OpenAI is expected to offer equity to the public in the near future. In comparison to other companies, OpenAI is expected to outpace competitors much more quickly. A competitive offering would open the world of possibilities for equipping new hardware, expanding global data infrastructure, and artificial intelligence computing.
Looking Back: The leap from GPT-4 to now
GPT-4’s launch in 2023 sent shockwaves through the tech world with the AI’s newfound reasoning, coding capabilities, and adaptability. Open AI now had a lead over competitors for the next few years. The AI race has heated up in the meantime though, with Google and Anthropic closing in. The performance that GPT-5 showcases suggests that the race has now officially begun.
However, the company’s vision remains broader looking at browsers, different devices, and new technologies evolving AI into multifunctional smart experiences, which indicates that OpenAI is not simply responding to the competition. Instead, they are looking ahead to a future where AI seamlessly integrates into all aspects of life and work.
;;;;;;;;In summary: Despite the buzz surrounding GPT-5, its launch was underwhelming compared to GPT-4. OpenAI’s focus, however, seems to be on looking beyond model releases and pursuing greater goals. Everything from consumer electronics, to AI-powered web browsers, to possible interfaces that connect the brain and computers to the devices, the company seems to be laying the groundwork for a future that extends beyond the capabilities of ChatGPT.