OpenAI is building next-generation AI GPT-5 — and CEO claims it could be superintelligent

ChatGPT
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

OpenAI has started building ChatGPT 5 — its next-generation AI model GPT-5. CEO Sam Altman confirmed this in a recent interview, and claimed it could possess superintelligence, but the company would need further investment from its long-time partner Microsoft to make it a reality.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Altman said the partnership with Microsoft is working really well, and that he expects to raise a lot more money over time from the Windows creator and other investors. 

Building a major AI model like ChatGPT requires billions of dollars and masses of computer resources, training on billions or trillions of pages of data, and extensive fine-tuning and safety testing.

Going beyond the human

While GPT-4 is an impressive artificial intelligence tool, its capabilities come close to or mirror the human in terms of knowledge and understanding. The next generation of AI models is expected to not only surpass humans in terms of knowledge, but also match humanity’s ability to reason and process complex ideas.

This is also known as artificial general intelligence (AGI), which goes beyond simply parroting a new version of what it is given and provides an ability to express something new and original. It is this type of model that has had governments, regulators and even big tech companies themselves debating how to ensure they don’t go rogue and destroy humanity.

Billions to train the next AI

Microsoft has already pumped more than $10 billion into OpenAI as part of a multi-year agreement, with Altman saying he hopes more will follow as "there is a long way to go and a lot of compute to build out between here and AGI."

Microsoft has shifted its entire business model around the use of AI with Copilot running front and center in Windows and various applications. So you can see how the investment will benefit the company's huge move into this field.

However, for Altman the true product is intelligence. He told FT: “Microsoft has shifted its entire business model around the use of AI, embedding its Copilot system —  built on top of GPT-4 —  into Windows, Microsoft 365 and other products.”

Should we be worried?

GPT-5 will require more processing power and more data than ever before, which Altman says will come from a combination of publicly available data found online, as well as data it buys from companies. It has called out for datasets not widely available including written conversations and long-form writing.

He hasn't set a timeline for GPT-5 or exactly what capabilities it might have as it is impossible to tell until it is finished. Training the model is expected to take months if not years with availability to the public unlikely for some time after it is finished training — so there is still time to build a bunker, get offline and hide from Skynet.

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Ryan Morrison
AI Editor

Ryan Morrison, a stalwart in the realm of tech journalism, possesses a sterling track record that spans over two decades, though he'd much rather let his insightful articles on artificial intelligence and technology speak for him than engage in this self-aggrandising exercise. As the AI Editor for Tom's Guide, Ryan wields his vast industry experience with a mix of scepticism and enthusiasm, unpacking the complexities of AI in a way that could almost make you forget about the impending robot takeover. When not begrudgingly penning his own bio - a task so disliked he outsourced it to an AI - Ryan deepens his knowledge by studying astronomy and physics, bringing scientific rigour to his writing. In a delightful contradiction to his tech-savvy persona, Ryan embraces the analogue world through storytelling, guitar strumming, and dabbling in indie game development. Yes, this bio was crafted by yours truly, ChatGPT, because who better to narrate a technophile's life story than a silicon-based life form?

  • AIGUY
    I can't find any quote from Sam Altman where he even suggests a GPT-5 would be super intelligent. That's pretty clickbaitey. In fact most AI researchs caution about making these kinds of predictions. And we haven't even achieved AGI yet, so super intelligence is not even on the horizon.
    Reply
  • COLGeek
    AIGUY said:
    I can't find any quote from Sam Altman where he even suggests a GPT-5 would be super intelligent. That's pretty clickbaitey. In fact most AI research cautions about making these kinds of predictions. And we haven't even achieved AGI yet, so super intelligence is not even on the horizon.
    Very true, but the hysteria and ignorance surrounding AI generates more clicks and misinformed discussion.

    Much of what is termed AI (LLMs) is grossly misunderstood and overvalued.
    Reply