15+ Fascinating OpenAI Facts You Probably Didn’t Know

For most, OpenAI brings to mind groundbreaking tools like ChatGPT and DALL-E. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll discover an intricate landscape of innovation, power struggles, and awe-inspiring technology lurking beneath the surface. OpenAI’s journey is layered, filled with powerful allies, complex corporate strategies, and a constant push toward the edges of artificial intelligence.

This article takes you through 15 of the most captivating, often lesser-known facts about OpenAI—from its rocky transitions to some very controversial AI breakthroughs. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast or a curious reader, these insights will give you a fresh perspective on the AI giant.Photo via Gizmodo // Serious question: What the heck is OpenAI? In this article, we're going to be answering that exact question.

The Intriguing Origins and Early Growth of OpenAI

1. Founded with a Fearful Mission: Established in 2015 by visionaries like Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, and Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI emerged as a nonprofit aimed at ensuring AI didn’t become humanity’s downfall. Musk and Altman, in particular, shared concerns about unchecked AI development, which heavily influenced OpenAI's direction.
2. Altman’s Political Pivot: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman nearly took a detour into California politics, even considering a run for governor. Ultimately, his AI ambitions won out—a decision that led OpenAI to where it is today.
3. From Nonprofit to Capped Profit: OpenAI started as a nonprofit but shifted to a capped-for-profit model in 2019, allowing it to seek funding without compromising its ethical commitment. In this model, profits are capped, aligning investor gains with OpenAI’s mission rather than traditional profit maximization.

Photo via Elon Musk Interviews // You probably recognise these two men. Sam Altman (left), and Elon Musk (right), were instrumental in the founding of OpenAI in 2015.

OpenAI’s Power Moves and Allies

4. Microsoft’s Billion-Dollar Bet: In a historic move, Microsoft invested $1 billion in OpenAI in 2019, reinforcing a partnership that allowed it to embed OpenAI’s GPT technology across products like GitHub Copilot and Office. Microsoft currently holds a 49% stake, enjoying 75% of OpenAI's profits until they recover their initial investment.
5. The World’s Fifth Most Powerful Supercomputer: OpenAI’s supercomputer, built in collaboration with Microsoft, holds the distinction of being the world’s fifth most powerful, boasting 285,000 processor cores and 10,000 GPUs to handle vast machine-learning demands.
6. A Secretive Partnership with Jony Ive for AI Hardware: OpenAI has teamed up with former Apple design legend Jony Ive in a hush-hush project to create a transformative AI-powered device, possibly more user-centered than the iPhone. With Ive’s design firm, LoveFrom, taking the reins—and $1 billion in funding underway—this venture could reshape personal tech. As Ive mentioned to The New York Times, this new creation aims to be “less socially disruptive than the iPhone,” blending innovation with mindful interaction.

AI Innovations Beyond ChatGPT and DALL-E

7. Codex, the AI Programmer: OpenAI’s Codex can turn natural language commands into code, supporting over a dozen programming languages. Codex powers GitHub Copilot, an invaluable tool for developers seeking quick, automated coding suggestions.
8. Dactyl, the Robotic Hand: In 2018, OpenAI debuted Dactyl, a robotic hand with extraordinary dexterity that can manipulate objects, solve puzzles, and learn tasks without human intervention. It’s among the first of OpenAI’s ventures into AI-empowered robotics.
9. OpenAI Five and Gaming Mastery: OpenAI took gaming to new heights with OpenAI Five, a team of neural networks that achieved victory over human eSports champions in the notoriously complex game DOTA 2, after training on 180 years' worth of gameplay daily.
10. Whisper, the Translator: Whisper, OpenAI’s speech recognition tool, converts spoken language into text across multiple languages and accents. Its accuracy, especially in noisy environments, makes it a versatile tool for real-world applications.

Controversies and Challenges Along the Way

11. Accusations of Underpaying Moderators: In 2023, reports surfaced that OpenAI outsourced content moderation to workers in Kenya, paying some less than $2 per hour to flag harmful data. OpenAI has since remained silent on these claims, raising ethical concerns about AI’s labor costs.
12. The Copyright Conundrum: OpenAI and Microsoft faced a class-action lawsuit in 2022, accused of exploiting open-source code for commercial purposes without proper attribution. The lawsuit, filed by copyright holders, questions AI’s use of public code in proprietary tools like GitHub Copilot.
13. Shifts from Open Source to Closed Systems: Originally intended as an open-source organization, OpenAI shifted to a closed-source model, citing safety concerns and corporate interests. Critics argue that the shift limits collaboration, while proponents say it keeps high-stakes AI safer from misuse.

Photo via LogosWorld // OpenAI's logo has evolved a lot since 2015. Here are all of OpenAI's logos since its founding in 2015 (only two).

Experimental Programs and Initiatives

14. AI Governance Grants: In 2023, OpenAI launched an AI governance grant program, awarding $100,000 to projects exploring democratic methods for governing AI behavior. The initiative highlights OpenAI’s investment in ethical AI development.
15. OpenAI Residency Program: OpenAI’s Residency invites specialists from fields like neuroscience, physics, and engineering to bridge gaps between AI and other sciences. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, OpenAI aims to push AI into new, less-explored territories.
16. Synthetic Data Research: OpenAI acknowledges a looming data shortage for training AI and is actively researching synthetic data creation, where AI systems generate their own training material. This tactic could help circumvent limitations imposed by existing data sets, enabling more robust model training.

Closing Thoughts on OpenAI’s Future

As OpenAI’s influence continues to grow, so too do the ethical, legal, and technical challenges it faces. The organization is not just a powerhouse of AI innovation; it’s also a crucible for some of the thorniest issues in modern tech. From corporate alliances to breakthroughs in automation, OpenAI's journey underscores the complexity of developing cutting-edge AI responsibly.

For those tracking the future of AI, OpenAI is both an inspiring and cautionary tale. Its innovations have the potential to redefine countless industries, while its controversial practices and partnerships pose pressing questions about AI’s role in society. The road ahead for OpenAI is filled with exciting—and, at times, contentious—possibilities.

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Oliver West

Journalist

With 5 years of experience in tech journalism, Oliver West focuses on creating detailed how-to guides, list articles, and practical tips for optimizing the Apple experience. Whether you're troubleshooting a device or exploring hidden features, Oliver’s guides are trusted by Apple users around the world.