OpenAI just raised $6.6B for the sake ‘of all humanity’

OpenAI has reached its funding goal this round. But don’t get distracted by the investments – the company still claims it's all for the sake of humanity.

OpenAI has been in the news a lot these past few weeks as the company is rapidly changing.

One major change involved a few integral executive staff members leaving OpenAI, including Mira Murati, research VP Barret Zoph, and chief research officer Bob McGrew.

Another major change is OpenAI’s decision to pivot from a non-profit organization to a for-profit company. The restructuring is said to supposedly help reassure current and future investors.

As Cybernews previously reported, OpenAI was negotiating a new $6.5 billion financing round that would value the company at $150 billion, but that’s contingent on the firm upending its corporate structure.

Now, a $6.6 billion investment has been secured, and OpenAI has a post-money valuation of $157 billion, which will supposedly help “accelerate progress on our mission,” OpenAI said in a blog post.

The main backers of arguably the richest AI start-up in history include familiar faces like Microsoft, Nvidia, Thrive Capital, and Khosla Ventures, Reuters reports.

The company said that this will allow them to double down on leadership in AI research, increase computational resources, and “continue building tools that help people solve hard problems.”

Along with a big win like this comes big responsibilities and even bigger claims surrounding how AI will better humanity.

In a blog post titled ‘The Intelligence Age’ OpenAI says don’t get distracted and focus on what’s important. “Deep learning works, and we will solve the remaining problems.”

The post promises a multitude of things, such as “fixing the climate,” “establishing a space colony,” and the “discovery of all of physics.”

In his rhetoric, he boasts nearly limitless intelligence and abundant energy will empower all people, giving them the ability to generate great ideas and make them happen.

Upon announcing the $6.6 billion in new investments, OpenAI continued to emphasize that everyone will reap the benefits of the future of artificial intelligence.

OpenAI and Altman claim that superintelligence is just a few thousand days away, which should ensure a shared sense of prosperity for all – just as long as we don’t get distracted.