Brian Merchant: This was the year of AI. Next year is when you should worry about your job
The biggest story in tech this year was, without a doubt, the explosive ascent of AI. The biggest story in tech next year will be whether it can turn a profit. Because so far, it can't.
A quick recap: OpenAI and ChatGPT burst onto the scene, dominated headlines, attracted millions of users and tens of billions in investment, and gave us 2023's juiciest boardroom drama. Months of hand-wringing over whether AI is a grave danger or a major boon to society — apocalyptic talk that made for great product marketing — ensued from the world's richest people. But the time for philosophizing is clearly over.
After the OpenAI board over concerns that "he was not consistently candid" last month, Microsoft, investors and employees on the verge of a stock option payout came roaring to his defense. Altman was reinstated, and the board purged those concerned with highfalutin things like "AI safety." In their place now sits Larry Summers, the former Treasury secretary who thinks in order to cool the economy.
