OpenAI, the company that made the AI chatbot ChatGPT, aims to make its AI models more accessible to developers in its next major updates expected next month.
According to Reuters, OpenAI plans to introduce updates for developers to make it cheaper and faster to build software applications based on its AI models. The company would reportedly slash the costs for application makers "by as much as 20 times."
The report also indicated that OpenAI aims to introduce a variety of new tools that could make its AI models theoretically more cost-effective. The new features are part of the company's steps to offer a "hit developer platform" apart from being a consumer sensation, which its CEO Sam Altman envisioned.
The changes will include the addition of memory storage to its developer tools for using AI models that can reportedly reduce costs for developers by up to 20 times.
The stateful application program interface or "stateful API" update allows storage of the conversation history of inquiries, and it addresses a big problem for developers whose expenses of employing OpenAI's advanced models may increase incrementally over time.
Aside from this, OpenAI models are also expected to have "vision capabilities" or "vision API" that will enable developers to create applications that can analyze images and describe them.
Both the "stateful API" and "vision API" are reported to be steps to create "multi-modal capabilities" for developers, wherein OpenAI's models can be used for developing applications that can generate images, audio, and videos, not just text.
The new features were reported to be released on November 6 during OpenAI's first-ever developer conference in San Francisco.
OpenAI Tools for Consumers
Some of these AI multi-modal capabilities have already been introduced to consumers via ChatGPT last September 25, such as voice conversations and image analysis, described as a "more intuitive type of interface."
Consumers could take hold of these features earlier than developers as OpenAI targeted a "gradual release" to "make improvements and refine risk mitigations over time."
Generally, OpenAI and ChatGPT have seen considerable success among consumers but remain challenged to attract developers. Reuters also reported that Altman continues to court different developers and companies to make OpenAI models "indispensable."
OpenAI's Investor Front
Investments from companies for OpenAI's platforms remain less successful compared to its consumer front when investors are reportedly "diversifying" the AI models they use within their businesses for experimentation.
OpenAI's plugins, a feature allowing developers to create applications within ChatGPT, failed to gain traction and attract consumers when it only reportedly attracted 7,000 users despite ChatGPT having roughly 180 million active users.
On a more positive note, OpenAI received a $10 billion investment from Microsoft earlier this year, aiming to integrate the AI models into its most popular applications such as Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Last March, tech experts signed an open letter asking "all AI labs to immediately pause" for at least six months, Techcrunch reported. No one from OpenAI has signed this letter.
The letter with 1,100 signatories included Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak. They called for a pause to ensure AI models' risks are properly managed.
Sam Altman himself admitted that the letter has merits. He noted that the company has long prioritized safety in development and spent more than six months on GPT-4's safety tests before its launch.
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