We're sunsetting PodQuest on 2025-07-28. Thank you for your support!
Export Podcast Subscriptions
cover of episode Bytes: Week in Review - OpenAI's for-profit troubles, FTC sues Uber and how VCs are weathering Trump tariffs

Bytes: Week in Review - OpenAI's for-profit troubles, FTC sues Uber and how VCs are weathering Trump tariffs

2025/4/25
logo of podcast Marketplace All-in-One

Marketplace All-in-One

AI Deep Dive AI Chapters Transcript
People
J
Jewel Burks Solomon
Topics
我很少看到关于公司是否应该是非营利性还是营利性组织的公开讨论。更罕见的是,有人写信给总检察长试图阻止公司结构的转变。我认为这很重要,因为之前在OpenAI工作的人,他们提出了非常合理的担忧,说明为什么OpenAI应该保持非营利性,以及如果它成功转型为营利性组织,会发生什么以及由此带来的风险。 OpenAI对美联社表示,对其现有结构的任何更改都将是为了更广泛的公共利益。但是,当一个组织成为营利性公司时,其核心会发生什么变化呢?这会如何改变它对谁负责? 这意味着它对投资者和投资人负责。我们在OpenAI上一轮融资中看到,有一些要求围绕着他们成功转型为营利性公司。事实上,如果他们不能成功转型为营利性公司,他们将无法获得他们预期的那笔资金,总共400亿美元,其中200亿美元将无法获得。他们需要这笔钱,因为他们每个月都在烧掉很多钱。所以你明白,当一家公司筹集资金时——这是我的行业——当一家公司筹集资金时,他们对投资者负责。投资者对他们必须做些什么才能让投资者获得回报有要求。 所以,这确实为公司带来了一套全新的要求,并且会在他们能够以最初设定的方式履行其最初使命方面造成紧张。如果OpenAI没有实现这一转变,没有获得所有这些资金,或者没有获得未来的资金,这会对它正在做的工作意味着什么呢? 这可能意味着工作会慢一点。我认为,一些提出的问题或担忧是,OpenAI转向营利性组织实际上只会加速这场人工智能军备竞赛,并可能以更快的速度推进通用人工智能,这实际上是看到人工智能在许多任务上与人类一样好,甚至更好。因此,如果他们没有成功转型为营利性公司,我想事情会慢一点,我认为这对任何人都不会有问题。我认为每个人可能都会同意,大多数普通人都会同意在这场人工智能竞赛中放慢速度。 有很多公司都在做一些重大、可怕、重要的工作。你认为OpenAI正在做的工作为什么特别会引起如此大的轰动?我认为他们长期以来一直处于领先地位,并且从技术的角度来看,因为他们很早就开始了,已经取得了显著进展。萨姆·奥特曼最近表示,他相信通用人工智能将在本届政府任期内出现,也就是未来三到四年内,这比我们之前听到的估计要早。所以我认为OpenAI在这场人工智能竞赛中处于领先地位,确保他们以一种能够实现人工智能服务于全人类,而不仅仅是投资于少数人的那些人的最初使命的方式做事非常重要。 所以我认为这非常重要,每个人都在关注,以确保这将以对每个人都有利的方式,而不仅仅是对投资者有利的方式来解决。

Deep Dive

Shownotes Transcript

It's the last Friday in April and it's time for Marketplace Tech Bytes Week in Review.

This week, we'll talk about how the Federal Trade Commission is suing Uber over its subscription service.

Plus, how the VC world is navigating the uncertainty created by the trade war.

But first, a nonprofit pivot is facing some challenges. Open AI, the maker of ChatGPT was founded about a decade ago as a nonprofit research lab. It's now looking to restructure as a for-profit — specifically, a public benefit corporation

But that transformation is facing resistance.

About 10 former Open AI employees, along with several Nobel laureates and other experts, have written an open letter asking regulators in California and Delaware to block the change.

They argue that nonprofit control is crucial to Open AI's mission, which is to “ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity."

Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes spoke with Jewel Burks Solomon, managing partner at Collab Capital, about how unusual it is to see this kind of conversion. YouTube Video of Marketplace Tech Bytes)More on everything we talked about

An Open Letter - Not For Private Gain)

Ex-OpenAI workers ask California and Delaware AGs to block for-profit conversion of ChatGPT maker) - from the Associated Press

OpenAI’s Latest Funding Round Comes With a $20 Billion Catch) - from the Wall Street Journal

FTC Takes Action Against Uber for Deceptive Billing and Cancellation Practices) - from the Federal Trade Commission

FTC sues Uber over difficulty of canceling subscriptions, “false” claims) - from ArsTechnica

White House Considers Slashing China Tariffs to De-Escalate Trade War) - from the Wall Street Journal

VC manufacturing deals were already declining before tariffs entered the picture) - from Pitchbook