3-2-1: Why I am not losing sleep over OpenAI’s new valuation

Open AI, the business/non-profit behind ChatGPT and some of the other GPTs enjoying primetime, is now valued at US$157 billion (with a B). You may read more about this here, here and here.

To be clear, this is no mean feat and not news to take lightly.

But here are three reasons, I am not bothered, two things I am doing to further ensure I do not develop any anxiety (and that you should consider as well), and one potentially irrefutable truth.

Three reasons why I am not worried:

1. OpenAI isn’t competing with me or you, for that matter, as we (you and I) don’t own or work for Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and the others with the capabilities to compete with or who are in actual competition with OpenAI. So what do we gain by losing sleep over the likely acquisition of ammunition by OpenAI?
2. On the flip side, our work may benefit from the direct output of the ongoing work and new work OpenAI will do with the money raised (not with the new valuation though, but don’t forget that the new valuation is incumbent on the new money raised), and the work that will result from OpenAI’s competitors doing more to stay in the race.
3. You are here, because you are curious (most likely), and curiosity is a good base to build new knowledge on.

Two things you can do about the valuation (well, not really):

1. Moderate your fear with knowledge, and not panic. Panic isn’t an efficient master, but knowledge is. So why not dig deeper, beyond what opportunistic blogs and YouTube channels tell you about Generative AI, and seek true knowledge? I have included below a few sources that may help you get started.
2. With knowledge, you can read the lay of the land, and hopefully find yourself a comfortable spot to settle in by acquiring new skills or adapting current ones for the future (note the future is as soon as tomorrow).

And finally, one (mostly) irrefutable truth:

1. We are in a time of tremendous change, one that most of us can not fathom. But one that we can navigate carefully, take some hits and take some wins. So, don’t panic, but don’t sit still.

Recommended resources:

Foundational Courses

1. AWS Certified AI Practitioner  (opens the Amazon AWS page for this course)
2. Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals (opens  the Microsoft website for this course and exam)
3. Google’s Beginner: Introduction to Generative AI Learning Path (opens a page that introduces you to a myriad of generative AI learning paths) 

Books

1. Life 3.0 by Max Tegmark (on Amazon – this website may earn commissions if you make a purchase)
2. Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies (on Amazon – this website may earn commissions if you make a purchase)
3. Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI (on Amazon – this website may earn commissions if you make a purchase)