Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, expects the AI industry's future developments to be more disruptive than anticipated, forecasting the emergence of artificial general intelligence (AGI) by 2025. Speaking at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit, Altman likened the impact of AI to the invention of the transistor, predicting that AI models will become widely accessible and transformative. Initially, the introduction of AGI and eventual superintelligence may cause minimal disruption, but over time, their impact will exceed expectations, including significant job displacement. Despite criticism regarding AI safety, Altman highlighted OpenAI's track record, noting that ChatGPT has over 300 million weekly users and is widely considered robust and safe. Altman also acknowledged that iterative deployment of AI is vital, particularly when stakes are lower. Elon Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, has sued the organization and Altman, accusing them of diverging from its nonprofit roots and other breaches of contract. Altman expressed sadness over Musk's legal actions and acknowledged Musk's startup xAI as a potential competitor. Initially, OpenAI founders did not anticipate the need for significant capital or commercial products but changed direction with ChatGPT’s success.

OpenAI is currently transitioning towards a for-profit status. OpenAI faces legal challenges, including a lawsuit from the New York Times over alleged copyright infringement. Altman argued for new economic models to fairly compensate creators leveraged by AI. Meanwhile, OpenAI discontinued its generative video tool, Sora, due to backlash from artists. A statement from Ian Crosby of Susman Godfrey, representing the New York Times, emphasized the balance between technology development and copyright laws. OpenAI recently secured $6. 6 billion in funding from investors such as Microsoft and Nvidia, post-valued at $157 billion. Altman described the partnership with Microsoft as positive, despite some challenges. OpenAI launched a new internet search tool, which Altman regards as his favorite product, fundamentally altering his internet usage.