Unattended Baggage Show Notes 11/25/2023
Episode #223: The Singularity Behind the Altman Drama
We dig deep into the “threat to humanity” breakthrough that shook the foundations of OpenAI..and possibly the world, Argentina’s new president is either a libertarian or a dictator, meet the woman who killed JFK, Dublin riots after mass stabbing, get ready for 44k hours of January 6, and every day is Turkey day for NYC Mayor Eric Adams.
Hour 1: https://unattendedbaggage.podbean.com/e/episode-223-the-singularity-behind-the-altman-drama/
Hour 1: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-223-hour-93519532
Hour 2: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-223-hour-93519533
Substack:
If you would like to become a member of unattended baggage go to www.patreon.com/unattendedbaggage
Bizarre OpenAI shakeup reveals fallout from major AGI breakthrough that terrified co-founder and board members
MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH: Altman was working on “alarmingly powerful” Q* AI
Exact breakthrough is unknown. Speculation is Test Time Compute and verification to solve complex math problems and increasing the model’s capability by 30X, and works essentially by using “verifiers” or separate models to simultaneously verify information the main model “guessed” at. The models then vote on the right answer. Once the verifiers agreed on the most likely correct answer, it could identify the process (chains of thought) on how the LLM got to that answer, and learn it. giving AI a much broader ability to reason, understand complex processes, and communicate them in language mode. This could be considered AGI. (NOTE: Much of this is speculation, pierced together from comments made by various people at OpenAI, and recently published scientific papers.)w
OpenAI exec addresses CEO Sam Altman’s firing in note to employees — Read the full memo
ChatGPT maker OpenAI fires Altman for “communication breakdown” – rumors that Altman lied to board about the breakthrough, but other employees – including OpenAI co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever – went to the board to advise them of danger. Insiders report Altman was fired the board over AI safety concerns, because the board thought Q* was far too dangerous to develop, claiming it could “threaten humanity”, and that Altman tried to hid it from them.
Ousted OpenAI head Sam Altman to lead Microsoft’s new AI team
505 other OpenAI employees, including co-founders Ilya Sutskever and Greg Brockman threaten to go to Microsoft – who says they’re all welcome
Microsoft clearly had major role in rebuilding the board, much more in the way they wanted it.
Facebook-parent Meta breaks up its Responsible AI team
The team that was tasked with ensuring the safety of AI has been disbanded
NVIDIA delays custom AI chips to China
All this happens just days after the US and China agreed to cooperate on AI development and deployment.
“Libertarian/Anarco-Capitalist” Milei wins in Argentina
President-elect Milei vows 'end of Argentina's decline'
Fiery right-wing populist Javier Milei wins Argentina's presidency | AP News
Israeli strikes southern Gaza
Israeli airstrikes kill 80 in Palestinian refugee camp | Israel-Hamas war | The Guardian
Did this woman kill JFK?
How a pioneering pilot’s exceptional life story offers clues to a second JFK shooter
Riots erupt in Ireland after mass school stabbing
Watch: Riots Erupt Across Dublin After Immigrant Is Accused of Mass Stabbing Attack of Children
Here comes Kermit the Frog, followed by Palestinian Protestors
https://www.the-sun.com/news/9699346/pro-palestine-activists-arrested-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade/
Ukraine
Ukrainian Sniper’s Lord of the Horizon rifle ‘takes out Russian soldier from 2.5 miles’
Russia barrages Kyiv with record number of drones
And they are still watching you
Why are we so scared?
40% of Americans are afraid to walk alone at night — most in decades, poll says
Obama admin official is just racist
Get rid of thanksgiving
Liberal columnists call for Americans to ‘decolonize Thanksgiving,’ promote ‘Truthsgiving’
Bringing them back
Army invites back soldiers discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccine
Surprised it took this long
Ex-policeman Derek Chauvin stabbed in prison
Hall and Oats at it again
https://www.stereogum.com/2243616/hall-oates-lawsuit-explained/news/
Jan 6 tapes
Why The New York Times’s Jan. 6 U-turn is a big deal | The Hill
Just in time for Thanksgiving, NYC Mayor gets his Turkey money
Could the FBI’s investigation send New York mayor Eric Adams to prison?
#MeToo Weekly Roundup
New York City mayor Eric Adams accused of sexual assault in 1993
Sean Combs Faces Third Sexual Assault Lawsuit – Update
Jamie Foxx Sued for Alleged Sexual Assault at New York Bar
Andrew Cuomo Sued for Sexual Harassment by Former Assistant - WSJ
Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose Sued Over Alleged 1989 Sexual Assault | Pitchfork
Unattended Baggage Episode #223: The Singularity Behind the Altman Drama