OpenAI assigns new project to AI safety leader Madry in revamp

    • The moves come when OpenAI’s chatbots have become increasingly powerful and have stirred safety concerns.
    • The moves come when OpenAI’s chatbots have become increasingly powerful and have stirred safety concerns. PHOTO: REUTERS
    Published Wed, Jul 24, 2024 · 12:24 PM

    OPENAI chief executive Sam Altman said on Tuesday (Jul 23) the ChatGPT maker’s artificial intelligence (AI) safety leader Aleksander Madry was working on a new research project, as the startup rejigs the preparedness team.

    “Aleksander is working on a new and v(very) important research project,” Altman said, adding that OpenAI executives Joaquin Quinonero Candela and Lilian Weng will be taking over the preparedness team in the meanwhile.

    The preparedness team helps to evaluate the artificial general intelligence readiness of the company’s AI models, a spokesperson for OpenAI said, adding Madry will take on a bigger role within the research organisation following the move.

    Madry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    “Joaquin and Lilian are taking over the preparedness team as part of unifying our safety work”, Altman said.

    The Information, which was the first to report Madry’s move, had said researcher Tejal Patwardhan will manage much of the work of the team.

    The moves come when OpenAI’s chatbots, which can engage in human-like conversations and create videos and images based on text prompts, have become increasingly powerful and have stirred safety concerns.

    Earlier this year, the Microsoft-backed company formed a Safety and Security Committee to be led by board members, including CEO Sam Altman, in the run-up to its training of its next AI model. REUTERS

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