Andrej Karpathy, a prominent researcher and founding member of ChatGPT creator OpenAI has announced his departure from the Microsoft-backed powerhouse. Karpathy's exit, revealed in a social media post, marks a significant turning point for OpenAI, one of the leading laboratories in the race to develop ever-more sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI).
"My immediate plan is to work on my personal projects and see what happens," Karpathy mentioned in a social media post.
Karpathy, a protégé of Stanford's renowned AI expert Fei-Fei Li, played a pivotal role in shaping OpenAI's trajectory since its inception. After a stint at Elon Musk-owned EV maker Tesla as Senior Director of AI, where he spearheaded the development of the company's self-driving technology, he returned to OpenAI in 2023. Notably, Karpathy has been a vocal advocate for the potential of large language models (LLMs) as the foundation for a new generation of computer operating systems.
Karpathy, known for his pioneering work at Tesla and OpenAI, believes these powerful language models -- currently employed in tasks like generating text, translating languages, and writing different kinds of creative content -- have the potential to evolve into something far more significant. He envisions them acting as intelligent interfaces, capable of not only understanding user commands but also anticipating needs, proactively suggesting actions, and seamlessly integrating with various tools and applications.
Karpathy's departure from OpenAI comes days after Google announced rebranding its Bard chatbot to Gemini, alongside the launch of a standalone Gemini app for Android devices. Additionally, the tech giant announced the integration of all its Duet AI functionalities within Google Workspace under the Gemini brand. Also, the company unveiled the public release of Gemini Ultra 1.0, which is touted as the most extensive and advanced version of Google's large language model (LLM).
At the accouncement, Google had said that Gemini will be accessible in English across more than 150 countries and territories. Gemini Advanced will be included in the Google One AI Premium Plan, priced at $19.99 per month, with a complimentary two-month trial period.