OpenAI supports this vision with a major transformation of its corporate structure and a massive $1.4 trillion infrastructure investment.
In a livestream statement on Tuesday, the company’s CEO, Sam Altman, emphasized that a critical threshold is being reached in the evolution of deep learning systems. According to Altman, artificial intelligence will cease to be a mere tool and will acquire the identity of an independent researcher/scientist capable of making scientific discoveries on its own.
OpenAI’s timeline is quite ambitious. Accordingly, the goal is to develop an “intern-level research assistant”-level AI capable of successfully executing complex tasks, equivalent to a human assistant, by 2026. Following this interim goal, the plan is to deploy an “independent researcher/scientist”-level AI system by 2028. This means the AI system can conduct research projects, formulate hypotheses, and test them independently, without any human intervention.
Scientific Discoveries Will Accelerate
OpenAI Chief Scientist Jakub Pachocki states that this next-generation AI system will advance by using its own unique research methods rather than imitating humans. According to Pachocki, if deep learning systems continue to advance at the current rate, it is possible to reach a level surpassing human intelligence in less than a decade. The company is pursuing two key strategies to achieve this goal: continuous improvement of algorithms and the expansion of a method called “test-time computing.”
This method allows AI models to “think” and calculate for much longer periods of time to solve a problem. Currently, the most advanced models can achieve human-level performance on tasks lasting approximately five hours. With this extension, it is certain that AI will provide groundbreaking solutions to complex problems that human researchers struggle to solve in fields such as medicine, physics, materials science, and technology development. There is even talk of dedicating the computing power of entire data centers to a single research process for some critical scientific breakthroughs.
Realizing this vision required not only a technological transformation but also an institutional transformation.
Sam Altman announced his goal of independent research AI on the same day OpenAI officially completed its transition to a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC). This new structure removes the financial constraints of raising the massive capital needed to support its aggressive research agenda while maintaining the company’s original non-profit mission.
With increased financial strength, OpenAI aims to build 30 gigawatts of infrastructure in the coming years. This requires a massive capacity equivalent to approximately three times the energy produced by a modern nuclear reactor and will require an estimated budget of $1.4 trillion.
Meanwhile, the non-profit OpenAI Foundation will own 26% of the company and will determine the direction of research and manage AI safety and ethical oversight processes. The Foundation has also earmarked a $25 billion fund for philanthropic applications such as disease cures. This strategic move demonstrates that OpenAI aims to both ensure its technological superiority and maintain its commitment to responsible AI development.
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