AI evolving faster than people think — OpenAI flags ‘catastrophic risk’

OpenAI has delivered a striking warning regarding the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence. In a blog post released on November 6, which was also highlighted by CEO Sam Altman on social media, the organization emphasizes that AI is progressing at a pace that many may not fully grasp. This swift advancement is pushing the boundaries toward real scientific discovery. While the potential for AI brings significant opportunities, OpenAI cautions that it also poses 'potentially catastrophic' risks. The company argues that society's perception of AI is still largely limited to chatbots and search engines, failing to recognize that current AI systems are increasingly outperforming humans in complex intellectual tasks. OpenAI claims that AI has reached about 80% of the capabilities of a human researcher, indicating that these models are beginning to produce new knowledge that could revolutionize fields such as science and medicine. The blog post forecasts that by 2026, AI will be capable of making minor discoveries, with expectations of more substantial breakthroughs by 2028 and beyond. The organization notes that the speed of change in AI technology has been remarkable, with the cost of achieving specific intelligence levels dropping approximately 40 times each year. This rapid evolution means that tasks that once took humans hours or days can now be completed by machines in mere seconds. However, OpenAI warns that the disparity between public understanding of AI's capabilities and its actual potential is growing, leaving society unprepared for the challenges ahead. (This is an ongoing story; further updates will follow.)