Brian Solis's Blog, page 18

OpenAI and the Events that Caused the Crazy Four Days Between Sam Altman’s Firing and Return

UPDATED

As the world turns, so do the days of AI…

Now that the dust is settling a bit, the behind-the-scenes story is beginning to piece together.

As we all know, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, was suddenly fired by the board, setting in motion an epic implosion that threatened the future of the company, investor stakes, and partner relationships.

This series of events also cast a bright light on the importance of trust, governance, and purpose. I’m thankful for this, at least.

Now it’s coming to light that there were two factions: 1) Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever and board member Helen Toner, and 2) Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.

At the heart of the matter appears to be a battle for humanity. No, I’m serious.

The Unique Org Structure that Governs OpenAI’s For Profit and Nonprofit Investments

OpenAI started in 2015 as a nonprofit to create a nonprofit to build A.I. that was safe and beneficial to humanity. It needed to if it were to achieve its divine mission of building a superintelligent system that could rival the human brain. What started as a private donor-funded enterprise evolved into a commercial need and opportunity.

In 2018, the company created a for-profit subsidiary that raised billions, including $1 billion from Microsoft. This new subsidiary would be controlled by the nonprofit board governed by a duty to “humanity, not OpenAI investors.”

With the unprecedented popularity of ChatGPT, the scale of humanity’s and OpenAI’s balance went off-kilter, according to some board members.

In particular, a rift ensued between Altman and Helen Toner, a (former) board member and Director of Strategy and Foundational Research Grants at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET).

Helen Toner’s association with Open Philanthropy, who pledged $30 million dollars to OpenAI early on, may have helped her earn a seat on the board.

Seeing Open ‘A’ Eye-to-Eye

It would later emerge that Toner and Altman no longer saw (Open A) eye-to-eye.

It’s now being reported, that a few weeks ago, they met to talk about a paper she co-authored that appeared to criticize OpenAI while praising Anthropic, the company’s main rival. Anthropic was started by a senior Open AI scientist and researchers who left after a series of disagreements with Altman. They asked the board in 2021 to oust Altman, and when that didn’t happen, they left the company. These past events would play a role in later developments…

Altman complained to Toner that the paper criticized OpenAI’s approach to safety and ethics. His point was that her words were dangerous to the company and its investors.

Altman later sent an email expressing that they weren’t “on the same page regarding the damage of all this.” He emphasized that “any amount of criticism from a board member carries a lot of weight.”

And, he’s right. It does. This is why it’s important to have an organizational and board structure that aligns with the company’s purpose, mission, and strategy.

So what exactly did Toner say?

Here’s an excerpt from her report:

“Anthropic’s decision represents an alternate strategy for reducing ‘race-to-the-bottom’ dynamics on AI safety. Where the GPT-4 system card acted as a costly signal of OpenAI’s emphasis on building safe systems, Anthropic’s decision to keep their product off the market was instead a costly signal of restraint. By delaying the release of Claude until another company put out a similarly capable product, Anthropic was showing its willingness to avoid exactly the kind of frantic corner-cutting that the release of ChatGPT appeared to spur.”

Let’s read that last part again…”exactly the kind of frantic corner-cutting that the release of ChatGPT appeared to spur.”

For an academic paper, this sentence is out of place. It’s personal judgement tied to an accusation rather than presented as a scientific research finding.

Altman discussed his concerns with Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever whether Toner should be removed from the board. Instead, Sutskever sided with Toner. The events that led to the creation of Anthropic likely contributed to his rationale.

Instead of Toner being ousted, it was Altman.

As we all know now, Altman’s sudden firing seemed more imprudent than strategic and methodical. Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, arguably OpenAI’s most valuable partner and investor, only received notice one minute before the news was announced.

Hours later, the board was confronted by employees who emphasized that their decision had put the company in grave danger.

But the board remained defiant. Toner reminded employees of its mission to create artificial intelligence that “benefits all of humanity.” And according to The New York Times, Toner went a drastic step further, stating if the company was destroyed, “that could be consistent with its mission.”

Record scratch. Freeze frame. Picture of Sam Altman looking shocked. Voiceover says, “Yep, that’s me. You’re probably wondering how I got here.”

It was a coup in two directions.

Some felt Altman was moving too fast, not playing the game by rules that benefit humanity, and not listening to people who voiced concerns or contrasting ideas.

Sutskever would later realize the damage caused to a company he cared deeply about only after co-founder Greg Brockman resigned, almost every one of its 800 employees threatened to quit, and Microsoft offered everyone roles in a new AI research division that would be created for them.

He would later Tweet, or is it Xeet now? That’s another conversation we need to have. “I deeply regret my participation in the board’s action,” he confessed. “I never intended to harm OpenAI,” he continued.

He did harm the company, though. And it may have been at the bidding of a board that intended so.

Before the saga ended, the board appointed Emmett Shear as interim CEO. One of his first mandates was to find evidence that supported Altman’s firing and threatened to quit if he didn’t receive it. Narrator: “He never received the evidence.” Though, credit is deserved for helping to set the stage for a reunion. Not bad for a three-day stint.

But there’s more.

Reuters reported that several staff researchers sent a letter to the board warning of a powerful AI discovery codenamed Q* (Q-Star) that could threaten humanity.

On November 16, Altman had shared publicly that OpenAI had recently made a huge breakthrough, one that pushes “the veil of ignorance back and the frontier of discovery forward.” To add rolling thunder to the initial boom, he added, that this was the fourth such breakthrough in its 8-year history.

The Information reported that OpenAI made an AI breakthrough that stoked “excitement and concern.”

This is a story that will continue to unfold…

Return of the Alt’man

As we all know by now, Altman is back at OpenAI in the CEO role, for now, without a board seat. Brockman also returns, but like Altman, without a board seat. The board also received a makeover with Bret Taylor serving as Chair, joined by Larry Summers with Adam D’Angelo remaining from the original board. The Verge reported that the board is now seeking to expand up to nine people to reset the governance of OpenAI.

The damage is done. But the silver lining is that, while the board misfired, it did effectively, and expensively, shine a light on the incredible need for AI ethics, safety, and governance.

Now, the real work begins.

Trust must be re-earned, not just for the company, but for the entire AI industry and movement. Existential threats must not succumb to unfettered capitalism or short-termism. Humanity needs its benefactors and protectors.

Every new feature and breakthrough requires careful analysis, outside voices, philosophical debate, and a board that empowers innovation balanced with ethics and safety.

There’s much to sort through and analyze. If anything, the importance of governance, trust, and purpose converge to represent the heart of the matter.

This is a time to learn from mistakes and to lean forward, open the door to a diversity of thoughtful perspectives, balance progress with humanity, and communicate transparently on what’s right and what’s not right to do.

And never forget, every successful company knows that it is nothing “without its people.“

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Sources

The New York Times, Cade Metz, Tripp Mickle, Mike Isaac

Bloomberg, in particular, Emily Chang, Katie Roof, Ed Ludlow

The Information, Jessica Lessin, Emir Efrati

The Verge, Nilay Pate, Alex Heath

Siqi Chen (@blader)

Kara Swisher

reddit/OpenAI

The post OpenAI and the Events that Caused the Crazy Four Days Between Sam Altman’s Firing and Return appeared first on Brian Solis.

Brian Solis Keynotes Special Delegation Visiting Silicon Valley from Innovation Centre Denmark

What a privilege to return to Menlo Park, CA, just a few minutes from where I used to live, to speak to the visiting delegation from Innovation Centre Denmark.

I shared experiences from my #innovation work at ServiceNow. We also explored lessons from Lifescale and the importance of creativity in an era of #generativeAI.

Fun fact.

For years, I worked with Innovation Centre Denmark to advise companies going through its different accelerator programs. 2x per year I would visit the center and mentor hundreds of startups, one by one. Many of them went on to become success and make tremendous impacts all around the world.

#proud

The post Brian Solis Keynotes Special Delegation Visiting Silicon Valley from Innovation Centre Denmark appeared first on Brian Solis.

Bringing Humanity Back to Service, Sales, and Marketing

The thing I really like about my work is the ability to see the things that most of us are just too busy — or maybe distracted or biased — to see in order to bring people together for a greater purpose.

These are the wonderful words of Brian Solis, Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow, keynote speaker, and 8x best-selling author, on what inspires him in his work.

It can be easy for anyone working in marketing, sales, or service to forget that real people are on the other side of every interaction, especially in a digital- and AI-first world. But Brian aims to bring humanity back into marketing.

“Technology can take humanity out of the equation,” he says when companies lean too heavily on tech stacks. As a result, we tend to focus too much on transactional metrics like clicks and open rates and conversions and sales instead of trying to build relationships.

“Once you know more about the people you’re trying to reach,” he says, “the sales or the nurturing or the conversations will happen.”

A practicing futurist and digital anthropologist, Brian believes that AI allows marketers to get closer to people.

“Somewhere along the way, we confused technology with transaction,” he says. Marketers should approach AI by thinking about how they want customers to feel rather than what they want customers to do.

“If you think differently about technology as investing in relationships and meaningful outcomes,” he says, you’ll get exponential returns.

On this episode of Be a Marketer, Brian and host Dave Charest, Director of SMB Success at Constant Contact, discuss how business owners, founders, and Fortune 500 executives can put people back in the equation in their digital marketing and AI use.

Or listen via…

Apple

Spotify

Google

Amazon

 

The post Bringing Humanity Back to Service, Sales, and Marketing appeared first on Brian Solis.

AI, Digital Darwinism, and the Tyranny of the Status Quo

Digital Darwinism: The evolution of society and technology and its impact on behavior, expectations, and behaviors.

“It is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself.” – Leon C. Megginson

Transformation becomes the minimum ante to surviving evolution.

At some point though, we have to stop reacting to change and become the change that everyone else reacts to.

Shift from a reactive mindset to a proactive one.

Ask questions that take your thinking beyond the givens.

With #AI for example, it is a given that automation and cost take-outs are not only possible, they propane the tyranny of the status quo. Everyone is looking at this for quick wins.

What matters most is how you think differently to uncover opportunities for AI to augment or even innovate work to grow, create new value, drive new revenue streams…exponentially.

This is what it means to differentiate. This is what it means to transform. Otherwise you’re digitizing what you did yesterday to operate tomorrow.

Digital Darwinism favors those who are “able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment.”

The environment…your market…your customers and employees…are changing and evolving. You must too.

This isn’t just a chance to optimize work to be more efficient. This is the time to reimagine work itself to be more effective and more competitive (and profitable).

Many automate the same activities they’ve always done, rather than innovating a better way forward. Automating bad processes won’t make them better. In the same manner, you can’t cut your way to innovation.

Ask yourself, ask your teams, how AI challenges fundamental assumptions you have about your business and operational models?

The answers will lead beyond quick wins to unlock differentiating use cases and transformational initiatives.

 

The post AI, Digital Darwinism, and the Tyranny of the Status Quo appeared first on Brian Solis.

TechReport: The 15 Must-Follow Tech Visionaries

TechReport just named Brian Solis as one of the 15 ‘must-follow’ tech visionaries.

Social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter / X have become more than just places to stay in touch with your network. They’re now powerful marketing tools, with many companies leveraging their capabilities and spending billions of dollars on them.

Given this, influencers can have an enormous impact on their communities. In the tech sector, particularly in the B2B space, influencers include founders, futurists, and CTOs with real industry expertise. Rather than promote the products of a specific brand, though, they drive conversations and change.

Many such leaders share original content related to their area of interest and are considered visionaries. In this guide, we’ve put together a list of 15 must-follow tech visionaries on social media platforms like X and LinkedIn. They’re experts in their fields, ranging from AI to ethics to digital transformation. Let’s find out why you should be following them.

Must-Follow Tech Visionaries

X follower/subscriber count: 270,400

LinkedIn follower count: 348,148

YouTube subscriber count: 6,440

Instagram follower count: 64,700

Threads follower count: 4,452

Facebook follower count: 59,000 (His personal Facebook account has 100k followers!)

The head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow, Brian Solis, is one of the top voices in digital transformation today. He’s a popular thought leader and keynote speaker on subjects like the future of business and technology and experience design.

Solis’ key topic of interest is the impact of digital transformation on our society and on creativity. In his book “Lifescale,” he explores how we can take control of our lives in a world where digital distractions are all around us.

As a keynote speaker, he travels the world and helps companies embrace changes brought about by digital transformation and to take charge of the future. A lot of Solis’ social media content is about innovation – but he also places a large emphasis on reflection.

Whether it’s musings about the possible impact of AI, a story about the importance of human design, or inspirational quotes, Solis’ LinkedIn and X feeds are all about embracing life experiences and reflecting on them.

The post TechReport: The 15 Must-Follow Tech Visionaries appeared first on Brian Solis.

Sparity Names Brian Solis as One of the Top 25 Digital Transformation Influencers You Need to Follow

Brian Solis was named as one of the top 25 digital transformation influencers to follow by Sparity.

IT industry is growing at a rapid pace, regardless of the global situation. Most organizations don’t need to be persuaded to go digital at this point. Today, it’s become abundantly clear that digital transformation has the potential to save businesses. When it comes to digital transformation, it is no longer just an IT initiative, but rather a phenomenon that is on the minds of business leaders worldwide. Digital transformation is a set of methodologies and tools that modern businesses use to optimize their operational activities, such as expanding their reach, offering differentiated services, and boosting their performance. It is important to note, however, that digital transformation is not just a new department in the company, but rather a major shift in the role of technology in the workplace.

According to IDC, it is anticipated that global spending on the digital transformation (DX) of business practices, products, and organizations will reach $2.8 trillion in the year 2025, which is more than double the amount that was allocated in the year 2020. In the post-pandemic era, businesses have become fundamentally reliant on digital transformation. Businesses have shifted their focus to digital priorities in order to address the challenges posed by sudden shifts in technology. It’s difficult to tell which of the many technological transformations taking place in the workplace, such as AI, IoT, Blockchain, cloud, and data analysis, is the most important at any given time.

Today, influencers dominate the digital realm. As more social media accounts, independently run websites, and digital transformation blogs become our primary sources for digital transformation trends, it’s critical to identify the best resources available. This list of digital transformation influencers and thought leaders will help your business grow and give you a competitive edge in the market by providing insight into current digital transformation trends.

According to Sparity, Here are the top 25 top digital transformation influencers that you should follow to make sure that the next big digital transformation trends.

Brian Solis

Brian is Global Head of Innovation at ServiceNow. He is also the author of the award-winning book X: The Experience When Business Meets Design and a keynote speaker who shares his vision to assist corporations comprehend the dynamics and rise of digital transformation.

He investigates the impact of disruptive technology on business and society. When it comes to humanizing technology, no one does it better than Brian. Forbes referred to him as “one of the more creative and brilliant business minds of our time”, ZDNet has called him “one of the 21st century business world’s leading thinkers”’ and according to The Conference Board, Brian is “the futurist we all need now.” His interests include digital transformation, customer experience, culture, the future of various businesses, as well as current and emerging trends.

Take a look at his website to get a better sense of who he is.

Follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter for more information on digital transformation

Please click here for the full list.

 

The post appeared first on Brian Solis.

The journey to AI: empowering retail to deliver on experience

Brian Solis will keynote GDS’ special event, “The Journey to AI: Empowering Retail to Deliver on Experience.”

Customer expectations have reached unprecedented levels. With dynamic and changing needs, customers want to be understood, they want their next steps anticipated and they aren’t afraid to use multiple channels and devices to find answers. Yet, the sheer cost of call volumes, high agent turn-over and complex legacy systems are challenging even the most adept retail and hospitality leaders.

So, how can a simplified customer experience be achieved, while integrating siloed departments and systems? How can reaction to service requests move from reactive to proactive? And how can a digital care ecosystem that delivers winning customer care be created?

Enter AI.

We know highly automated companies are six times more likely to see revenue growth of 15% and over. Not only that, but it offers frontline agents the opportunity to get answers faster, while offering personalized experiences.

So, what steps are you taking towards a best-in-class customer and employee experience? What intelligent technology advancements are powering your journey? And how will AI change the retail and hospitality landscape forever?

Join this ServiceNow virtual showcase event to explore this, the retail trends you need to know now and how to integrate AI into your business to stay ahead of the curve.

The post The journey to AI: empowering retail to deliver on experience appeared first on Brian Solis.

The Futurists: Kickstarting Zombie Sci-Fi

We’re big fans of Kevin J Anderson. What an amazing opportunity to spend time with him. I mean, he’s written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E. and The X-Files, and with Brian Herbert, they’ve co-authored the Dune prequel series.

On this weeks episode, Brett King and I are joined, one again, by New York Times Bestselling Author, Kevin J Anderson. Kevin takes us on a journey as to how technology has dramatically changed his connection with his readers for the publication of new books, including multiple very successful Kickstarter campaigns. We talk writing for the Dune and Start Wars Universes, and dive into Dan Shambles, the detective every zombie needs.

So much fun!

Listen on: Apple | Spotify | Amazon

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon | Android | Email | RSS 

The post The Futurists: Kickstarting Zombie Sci-Fi appeared first on Brian Solis.

The Futurists: The Future of the Legal Industry with Dr. Cain Elliott

What’s the future of the legal industry? On this episode of The Futurists, my co-host Robert Tercek and I interview Dr. Cain Elliott, Head Legal Futurist and a Senior Vice President at Filevine to explore the present and potential new futures.

Society has grown more complex and more polarized. That increases the likelihood of complicated disputes. How is the legal industry evolving to deal with hyperconnected society? Dr. Cain Elliott tells the Futurists how the legal profession is digitizing to move faster and operate more efficiently. But the motivation to change is coming from clients, not from attorneys.

Topics: the broken business model of legal services, the political and regulatory barriers to change, the transformative potential of legal tech.

Listen to the podcast

Watch on Youtube

Listen on: Apple | Spotify | Amazon

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon | Android | Email | RSS 

 

The post The Futurists: The Future of the Legal Industry with Dr. Cain Elliott appeared first on Brian Solis.

Brian Solis to Keynote the Unity Conference to Explore Innovation in Education and Learning

Brian Solis will keynote the Unity Conference in September 2023. He’ll explore how disruptive technologies such as Virtual Worlds, Generative AI, and Spatial Computing, are changing the way we teach and learn. He’ll also explore the evolution of social media’s impact on our brains aka “TikTok Brain.”

Register here.

 

 

The post Brian Solis to Keynote the Unity Conference to Explore Innovation in Education and Learning appeared first on Brian Solis.