Inside the story that enraged OpenAI

technologyreview.comPublished: 5/19/2025

Summary

OpenAI, once little known outside its niche AI research community, underwent a significant transformation within six months. Initially seen as an underfunded, expensive, and unoriginal player, it became increasingly active in commercializing its technology and altering its structure to become partially for-profit. These moves attracted attention from beyond the tech industry, signaling its growing influence in AI research and policy-making. At an interview, OpenAI's CEO Brockman emphasized the company's focus on developing AGI to address complex human problems, despite budget concerns.