OpenAI’s Sam Altman Deems AI Systems Like GPT-4 ‘Safe for Use’: What It Means for Users and Developers

OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman made a brief appearance at this year's Microsoft Build, engaging in a conversation with Microsoft's Chief Technology Officer, Kevin Scott. This moment was particularly noteworthy, arriving less than 24 hours after actress Scarlett Johansson's accusation that OpenAI utilized a voice "eerily similar" to hers for its GPT-4o chatbot.

Although Altman did not directly address the controversy, he expressed his surprise at the high quality of voice mode in GPT-4o. Instead, he dedicated nearly ten minutes to inspiring developers, emphasizing their crucial role in the future of artificial intelligence innovation.

“Developers have been core to the progress we’ve witnessed over the last year and a half,” Altman stated. “Millions of people have engaged with our platform, achieving remarkable feats. The speed at which talent is adopting and building new applications has been astounding. When we launched GPT-3 with the API, the initial reaction was cool but it generated zero revenue. Now, with GPT-4 and GPT-4o, the advancements are truly exceptional.”

He emphasized, “We’ve never seen a technology adopted so quickly and meaningfully.”

When asked about expectations for the coming months, Altman noted that models will continue to enhance in intelligence. “From GPT-3.5 to GPT-4, we saw significant improvements in intelligence and robustness, alongside enhanced safety measures. The model has become more useful.”

He later addressed AI safety, an area of growing concern, particularly following recent organizational changes within OpenAI. Altman explained that the company initially focused heavily on ensuring safety in their AI systems. “With GPT-4, we believe we've reached an acceptable safety standard. It's not perfect, but it's generally considered robust and safe for various applications, thanks to extensive collaboration across teams and fundamental research.”

Describing this as the most exciting time to innovate—comparable to the mobile boom—Altman urged developers, “This is a unique moment. Don’t hesitate to pursue your ideas. Now is the time to act.”

While not officially highlighted, Altman's presence at Build aligned with Microsoft’s announcement of new integrations with OpenAI, including the incorporation of GPT-4o into Copilot+ PCs, AI Azure Studio, and Microsoft Windows.