The staff letter said the development could pose a threat to humanity, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
The previously unpublished letter was an important development that preceded the dismissal of Altman, the figurehead of generative AI. Reuters was not initially able to view the letter. The OpenAI researchers who wrote the letter did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Breakthrough in project “Q*”
The letter was one factor in a long list of misconduct that led to Altman’s firing, insiders said. Managing director Mira Murati mentioned the project called “Q*” (pronounced Q-Star) to staff on Wednesday and said that a letter had been sent to the supervisory board before the weekend’s events.
The maker of ChatGPT had made advances on Q*, which some employees said represented a breakthrough in the startup’s quest for superintelligence (AGI). OpenAI defines AGI as AI systems that are smarter than humans. Reuters was unable to independently verify Q*’s claimed capabilities.
Altman suggested last week that he sees AGI within reach. “Four times in OpenAI’s history, most recently in the past few weeks, I have had the privilege of being present as we lift the veil of ignorance and push the boundaries of discovery, and that is the professional honor of a lifetime,” he said the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. A day later, the Board of Supervisors fired Altman.
