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Comment by DalasNoin | Hacker News Reader

Reading the statement, I am doubtful that Microsoft and OpenAI can continue their business relationship. I think the most aggressive part of this is the "[they will be joining] together with colleagues" sub sentence. He is basically openly poaching the employees of a company that he supposedly has a very close cooperation with. This situation seems especially difficult since Microsoft basically houses all of openai's infrastructure. How can they continue a trust-based relationship like this?

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In the end it’s all about business, and it’s not in Microsoft’s interest to destroy OpenAI. It’s in Microsoft’s interest to keep the relationship warm, because it’s basically two different philosophies that are at odds with each other, one of which is now being housed under Microsoft R&D.

For all we know, OpenAI may actually achieve AGI, and Microsoft will still want a front row seat in case that happens.

Microsoft specifically does not get a front row seat (in any meaningful sense) to and OpenAI AGI event, per their agreement.

> He is basically openly poaching the employees of a company that he supposedly has a very close cooperation with

Not doing that would be participating in illegal wage suppression. I'm not sure how following the law means OpenAI and MSFT can't continue a business relationship.

Because they need the chief scientist Ilya Sutskever. Microsoft's commercial interests will push them do whatever is needed to make it work.

They don't. He's a smart guy but he's far from having the reins of AI in his hands as some people blindly believe.

Exhibit A: this weekend, lol.

I know I’m not qualified to make that observation, but what exactly makes you think you are? Can you share what information you’re using to make such a confident determination?

My simple take would be the credits for GPT-3.5/GPT-4/GPT-5. The key engineers were part of those that have seemingly moved to Microsoft. I personally think Ilya is brilliant. I absolutely don't think he's the _sole_ brilliant mind behind OpenAI. He wasn't even one of the founders. He's a very brilliant and powerful mind and likely will be critical in the breakthroughs that lead to AGI. That said, AGI feels like one of those "way off in the distance ideas" that might be 5,10, or 100 years away. I tend to think that GPT-x is several orders of magnitude from AGI and this drama was silly and unneeded. GPT-5/6/7/8 aren't likely to destroy the world.

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