According to a recent blog post by Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, OpenAI’s GPT AI model is the most ground-breaking technological advancement he’s seen since the introduction of the graphical desktop environment (GUI) in 1980. Prior to the GUI, computers were used through a command line. Gates based Windows on the GUI, leading to the creation of a hugely successful software company.
Gates has noticed similarities between the GUI and OpenAI’s GPT models, which can generate human-like text and code. Last year, he challenged the OpenAI team to create an AI model that could pass the Advanced Placement Biology exam. The recently released GPT-4 achieved a perfect score, as reported by OpenAI.
“The whole experience was stunning,” Gates wrote. “I knew I had just seen the most important advance in technology since the graphical user interface.”
“The development of AI is as fundamental as the creation of the microprocessor, the personal computer, the Internet, and the mobile phone. It will change the way people work, learn, travel, get health care, and communicate with each other. Entire industries will reorient around it. Businesses will distinguish themselves by how well they use it,” he continued.
Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, has joined other high-profile tech leaders, such as former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, in recognizing the significant impact that AI advancements could have on various industries. They believe that data-driven machine learning has the potential to transform entire sectors.
Current CEOs are also seizing the opportunity presented by AI. Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, recently likened the current state of the field to the “iPhone moment,” a time when new technology is widely adopted and entrepreneurs can create new businesses and products.
Microsoft has a close relationship with OpenAI, the company behind the GPT model. Microsoft has invested $10 billion in OpenAI and offers some of its AI software through Azure cloud services.
Gates urges people to approach discussions about AI with a balanced view, considering both the risks of biased or unfriendly tools and the potential benefits that could improve people’s lives. He also believes that governments and philanthropic organizations should support AI initiatives to improve education and healthcare in developing countries, as companies may not choose to invest in these areas on their own.