OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declares ‘code red’ to improve ChatGPT amid rising competition

印刷用画面を開く

Posted

Category: Technology/Innovations

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. flagship / ˈflægˌʃɪp / (n.) – most important, best, or main product, service, or project that a company has
    Example:

    The car company’s flagship model is known for its quality and advanced features.


  2. personalization / ˌpɜr sə nlˌaɪˈzeɪ ʃən / (n.) – the process of making something suit one person’s needs, habits, or preferences
    Example:

    Many companies focus on personalization to make their services feel more helpful and friendly to each customer.


  3. unleash / ʌnˈliʃ / (v.) – to let something very strong or powerful start or happen quickly, sometimes suddenly
    Example:

    The company unleashed a new phone model to compete with other brands.


  4. intuitive / ɪnˈtu ɪ tɪv / (adj.) – easy to understand or use without needing instructions
    Example:

    The new phone has an intuitive design that makes it simple to find all the features.


  5. premium / ˈpri mi əm / (adj.) – (of a product, service, or item) higher in quality, value, or cost than normal
    Example:

    This hotel offers premium rooms with larger beds and a better view.


Article

Read the text below.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has set off a “code red” alert to employees to improve its flagship product, ChatGPT, and delay other product developments, according to The Wall Street Journal.


The newspaper reported that Altman sent an internal memo to staff saying more work was needed to enhance the artificial intelligence chatbot’s speed, reliability, and personalization features.


Several weeks ago marked three years since OpenAI first released ChatGPT, sparking global fascination and a commercial boom in generative AI technology and giving the San Francisco-based startup an early lead. But the company faces increased competition with rivals, including Google, which last November unleashed Gemini 3, the latest version of its own AI assistant.


OpenAI didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Tech news outlet The Information also reported on the memo.


Altman said this fall that ChatGPT now has more than 800 million weekly users. But the company, valued at $500 billion, doesn’t make a profit and has committed more than $1 trillion in financial obligations to the cloud computing providers and chipmakers it relies on to power its AI systems.


The risk that OpenAI won’t make enough money to fulfill the expectations of backers like Oracle and Nvidia has amplified investor concerns about an AI bubble.


Nick Turley, an OpenAI vice president and its head of ChatGPT, posted on social media that online search is one of the product’s biggest areas of opportunity as the company focuses on making ChatGPT more capable and “even more intuitive and personal.”


OpenAI makes revenue from premium subscriptions to ChatGPT, but most users get the free version. OpenAI introduced its own web browser, Atlas, in October, an attempt to compete with Google’s Chrome as more internet users rely on AI to answer their questions. But OpenAI hasn’t yet tried to sell ads on ChatGPT, which is how Google makes money from its dominant search business.


Altman’s memo said the company was delaying work on advertising, AI agents for health and shopping, and a personal assistant called Pulse, according to the journal.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • OpenAI says it still needs to improve ChatGPT’s speed, reliability, and personalization. Do you agree that AI tools still need a lot of improvement, or are you mostly satisfied with how they work right now? Why do you say so? What features do you think should be improved first? Discuss.
  • Personalization means an AI gets better at understanding your style and preferences. If AI becomes much more personalized in the future, what advantages and disadvantages do you think this could bring to everyday life? Overall, do you think this level of personalization is a good idea or not? Why do you say so? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Many people use the free version of ChatGPT and other apps, even when a paid version offers more features. Why do you think most users prefer free versions? In your opinion, when is it worth paying for a premium service, and when is the free version enough? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • Think about the apps or online tools you use every day. If you could only get the premium version of one service, which one would you choose and why? Discuss.