Rob Tyrie
Grey Swan Guild
Published in
4 min readNov 23, 2023

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Q* Notes . Unclear advance in AI capabilities from OpenAI November 21 2023

What is Q*?

This is an experiment using ChatGPT to research breaking news on the internet. In this case I’m looking at this new capability called Q* from #OpenAI. It’s capability is that it can understand and use simple math to solve problems. Think grade school math or high school math. It’s important because of how long these maths are taken to develop in the modern world. If a AI can do math perfectly it is a very powerful tool and platform for creativity and creation. So think of arithmetic, Euclidean geometry and algebra… and the AI using it for reasoning and planning. A lot of complex things could be solved by visiting algorithms. If this is correct there will be many emergence capabilities in the next versions of OpenAI chatbots and LLMs. Or the advance may be overblown.

The best thing for science and society right now is for OpenAI to complete disclosure about the Innovation the idea and it’s grounding in science and mathematics. It should be disclosed to the National Defense Department and the Secretary of State of the US governments.

Note: this news is just breaking and there might be errors in the assumptions of the impact of this development. There’s just not a lot of transparency about it at this time. It seems to be important though to me and my frame of reference and studying the evolution of OpenAI and their products in the marketplace. Just the announcement of this capability will change the direction of all the frontier AI companies in the world.

Rob Tyrie Prompt:Do a broad an deep search on the web for Q* or Q-star. What is it and how is it related to openai.? Do the research in steps an expand it with critical thinking and investigative thinking….

//ChaGPT4V

Q* (pronounced Q-Star) is a significant development in OpenAI's research, closely linked to the pursuit of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). From various sources, here's a synthesis of what Q* represents and its implications:

1. **Nature of Q*:** Q* is seen as a potential breakthrough in OpenAI’s ongoing efforts to achieve AGI, which refers to highly autonomous systems that surpass human capabilities in most economically valuable tasks.

2. **Capabilities of Q*:** Although initial tests showed Q* performing mathematical problems at the level of grade-school students, this achievement is significant in the realm of generative AI. It indicates a step towards AI with greater reasoning capabilities, which could eventually be applied to advanced scientific research

3. **Safety Concerns and Staff Reaction:**
- Researchers at OpenAI expressed both optimism about Q*’s future success and concerns about its potential dangers. There’s a long-standing debate in computer science about the risks posed by highly intelligent machines, including fears that they might act against humanity’s interests
- The concerns around Q* led to internal strife at OpenAI, resulting in the temporary ousting of Sam Altman as CEO. Over 700 OpenAI employees threatened to quit and join Microsoft in solidarity with Altman, who was briefly hired by Microsoft before returning to OpenAI

4. **Strategic Implications:**
- Altman’s leadership at OpenAI was characterized by rapid growth and significant achievements, such as the development of ChatGPT. His approach drew necessary investment and computing resources from partners like Microsoft, which were crucial for advancements toward AGI【
- The introduction of Q* and its implications were a key factor in the upheaval within OpenAI’s leadership and staff.

5. **Recent Developments:**
- Altman announced significant advances in AI technology at a summit, which coincided with the period leading up to his temporary ousting and the controversy surrounding Q*

In summary, Q* represents a significant milestone in OpenAI's quest for AGI but also underscores the complex challenges and ethical considerations in advancing AI technology. The development of Q* has been met with both optimism for its potential and concern for its safety, reflecting the broader debates and dilemmas in the field of AI.

Certainly, here are the URLs referenced in the research about Q* and its implications:

1. Reuters article discussing the potential breakthrough of Q* at OpenAI and related events: [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/technology/exclusive-openai-researchers-warned-board-ai-breakthrough-ahead-ceo-ouster-sources-2023-11-22/)
2. TweakTown article detailing the breakthrough with Q* and its impact on OpenAI and Sam Altman.

https://www.tweaktown.com/news/94534/openai-made-huge-breakthrough-before-ousting-sam-altman-introducing/index.html#:~:text=While%20internally%2C%20OpenAI%20believes%20that,anymore%2C%20but%20something%20different%20entirely

November 22:

"There is a large graveyard filled with my enemies. I do not wish to add to it, but will given no choice. Those who pick fights with me do so at their own peril, but maybe this is their lucky day" Elon Musk

The news regarding OpenAI involves a significant development. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, was fired on November 17 but has been reinstated after a brief period. This follows what appears to be intense discussions about the future direction of the company, which is at the forefront of an artificial intelligence surge [[❞]]

(https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03700-4#:~:text=OpenAI%20fired%20its%20charismatic%20chief,behind%20the%20blockbuster%20artificial) [[❞]](https://www.reuters.com/technology/sam-altman-return-openai-ceo-2023-11-22/#:~:text=Sam%20Altman%20is%20returning%20as,of%20an%20artificial%20intelligence%20boom). Concurrently, there were reports of a major AI breakthrough at OpenAI, hinted to be close to artificial general intelligence, that raised alarms about potential risks to humanity. This breakthrough was significant enough to spark a letter from OpenAI researchers to the board, expressing concerns about this discovery's possible implications [[❞]](https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/openai-was-close-to-ai-breakthrough-that-could-threaten-humanity-report#:~:text=OpenAI%20may%20be%20close%20to,board%20of%20directors%20after%20staff) [[❞]](https://techstory.in/openai-ai-breakthrough/#:~:text=Explore%20the%20recent%20OpenAI%20AI,and%20the%20tech%20community%27s%20response) [[❞]](https://www.tradingview.com/news/reuters.com,2023:newsml_L6N3CN0HK:0-openai-researchers-warned-board-of-ai-breakthrough-ahead-of-ceo-ouster-sources/#:~:text=OpenAI%20researchers%20warned%20board%20of,people%20familiar%20with%20the).

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Rob Tyrie
Grey Swan Guild

Founder, Grey Swan Guild. CEO Ironstone Advisory: Serial Entrepreneur: Ideator, Thinker, Maker, Doer, Decider, Judge, Fan, Skeptic. Keeper of Libraries