''ChatGPT' is horrible... Firing, a blessing in disguise', says Sam Altman after returning as OpenAI CEO

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI made his maiden appearance after his return to ChatGPT maker as CEO. He talked to Trevor Noah in a podcast, providing insights into his perspective on the turbulent events at OpenAI, his reflections on empathy and values, and his nuanced views on the potential and risks of AI in shaping the future of humanity. Altman also placed his dissatisfaction on record with the name 'ChatGPT', and termed it as 'horrible'.

Hyderabad: Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, experienced an intense time recently when OpenAI fired him, leading to a five-day exile. Later, Altman was reinstated after a high-drama. Despite the precarious nature of those five days, Altman, in an interview with Trevor Noah on the podcast "What Now," described the experience as a 'blessing in disguise'.

'First appearance after the turmoil'- The interview with Trevor Noah, marked Altman's first public appearance following the 5-day stalemate at OpenAI. “The empathy I gained out of this whole experience, and my recompilation of values, for sure was a blessing in disguise…It was at a painful cost, but I’m happy to have had the experience in that sense,” Altman said.

'CEO of the year'- On Wednesday, Sam Altman, was named as the CEO of the year by Time Magazine. When Noah inquired about the title, Altman expressed a preference for a lower profile. "I have had more attention this year than I would have liked to have in my entire life", said Altman. The CEO also conveyed happiness for Taylor Swift, for being named as the Time Person of The Year.

'Not happy with the name ChatGPT'- Surprisingly, Altman used the opportunity to voice his dissatisfaction with the name of OpenAI's chatbot 'ChatGPT'. Despite the model's widespread popularity, Altman criticised the name for lacking creativity and failing to convey the technology's full potential. He acknowledged the challenge of changing such an established brand and yet was not averse to making his disliking in public and termed it as "horrible."

'How did Altman's get his 'termination' news?' In the interview, Noah asked Altman where he got the news of his termination from, to which Altman said that he was at the Formula One Grand Prix in Las Vegas when he received the news. The unexpected call from the board interrupted his weekend, preventing him from enjoying any races. "I was in my hotel room, took this call, had no idea what it was gonna be, and got fired by the board," Altman said.

'Did not feel real'- Altman said that the deluge of messages he received after the announcement led to his iMessage crashing. He also said that he was not thinking of returning to the company, but wanted to work in the field of Artificial Intelligence. Altman summed up the whole tumultuous journey as a dream. "It did not feel real", Altman added.

'AI's potential'- Maintaining optimism throughout the interview, Altman highlighted AI's potential to address societal injustices and biases. He acknowledged the risks associated with AI but emphasised its capacity to be less biassed than humans, promoting economic and social justice. Altman also declared that humanity is entering its greatest period of abundance, driven by AI and energy.

'Absolute safety in AI not yet achievable'- In the conversation with Noah, Altman also acknowledged that absolute safety in AI is not achievable yet, similar to other technologies such as pharma and aeroplanes. However, his primary concerns are not minor issues, but the existential threats of AI, which is similar to the perils of nuclear weapons that could lead to potential extinction of mankind.

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