Understanding the implosion at OpenAI | TRIO 

O Showmetech TRIO is a compilation of the most interesting news of the week.

Today we will talk about the mass departure of several executives from OpenAI, due to Sam Altman's most recent actions to make it a traditional, for-profit company (and with huge bonuses for the CEO). We will also explain the arrival of the new iPhones 16 in Brazil, with prices, details and promotions in stores and carriers.

And we'll show you Meta Orion, Meta's new AR glasses that shocked the world with their holograms last week.

Implosion at OpenAI

In November 2023, Sam Altman was unexpectedly fired from OpenAI. The company's official statement on the matter at the time indicated that the Board opted to fire the CEO for breach of trust.

Rumors, also from the time, alleged that Sam acted without transparency with the Council and with a lack of caution, with the purpose of developing an “artificial general intelligence”, or AGI, in the English term, the name given to artificial intelligence that achieves a level of cognition equal to or greater than that of humans.

At the time, although the reason for the dismissal was not confirmed, the attempt was frustrated and the CEO returned to the board, subsequently reforming it.

Now, nearly a year after this major change, OpenAI is undergoing a new overhaul, led by Altman, that is transforming it from a nonprofit AI think tank to a traditional, profit-driven company with generous CEO bonuses.

Such changes are causing several leaders to leave the company. On September 25, Mira Murati, the company’s chief technology officer, decided to leave OpenAI, saying she “needed to make time and do my own explorations.”

Two other big names leaving OpenAI are Bob McGrew, who ran the research division, and Barret Zoph, who led the new AI models team. In the same month that he took leave, another co-founder and key leader, John Schulman, left to join Anthropic.

With that, besides Altman, the only remaining member of the OpenAI board is Greg Brockman, who supported Sam when he was fired in 2023. However, brockman has been on personal leave since August and is not expected to return until next year.

Definition Exchange at OpenAI

OpenAI started as a nonprofit, with a for-profit subsidiary to raise funds, but its “for-profit run by a nonprofit” model has become a disadvantage compared to competitors like Google and Meta.

To address the issue, in early September, Altman confirmed to OpenAI employees that the company would become a for-profit public benefit corporation starting in 2025, which could mean the nonprofit would lose control.

In theory, in addition to seeking profit, OpenAI would be committed to generating positive social and environmental impact. Companies like this also balance financial interests with benefits to society and the environment. An example of a public benefit corporation is anthropic, a competitor of OpenAI, which received investments from Amazon.

The major change in OpenAI's definition places the remaining professionals in a new work purpose, which no longer exclusively aims at the “good of humanity”, as previously proposed, but also at generating profit.

The weight of the “security issues and practices to prevent loss of control of artificial intelligence” developed by the company is therefore uncertain.

At the same time, with the new positioning, OpenAI is now close to a $150 billion valuation. And recently, it showed the world its new language model, o1, which can “reason like a human” and solve mathematical problems better.

Altman is keeping an eye on his competitors and has been doing everything he can to bring new products to market before everyone else. We will keep a close eye on what OpenAI will become.

iPhone 16 in Brazil

Apple announced the new iphones 16 at the beginning of September and, on the 24th of the same month, pre-sales in Brazil began. Those who were waiting for the models here had only three days to place their orders, as shipments to buyers' homes began on September 27th. The official prices from Apple are:

iPhone 16

• 128 GB: BRL 7.799
• 256 GB: BRL 8.599
• 512GB: 10.099

16 iPhone Plus

• 128 GB: BRL 9.499
• 256 GB: BRL 10.299
• 512 GB: BRL 11.799

iPhone 16 Pro

• 128 GB: BRL 10.499
• 256 GB: BRL 11.299
• 512GB: 12.799
• 1 TB: R$ 14.299

iPhone 16 Pro Max

1 TB: R$ 15.499

256 GB: BRL 12.499

512 GB: BRL 13.999

special promotions

Anyone who wants to pay less when purchasing any of the new iPhones 16 can take advantage of special promotions, specifically focused on purchasing new smartphones.

Claro is offering a 2 reais discount for anyone who purchases any of the variants. This allows the iPhone 16 Pro Max, with 512 GB, to be purchased for $ 11.989, with installments of up to 21 times. All people who buy an iPhone 16 in Claro's promotion also subscribe to the 23GB plan, which offers internet for an entire month, for just R$54,90. 

TIM customers can buy the iPhone 16 Pro Max with 512 GB of storage for $ 10.799,00 and also become a subscriber to the Tim Black plan, with Apple One included and 100 GB of internet to use per month.

already talking about the Living, it is possible to purchase the Traditional 16GB iPhone 256 for R$6.354 on the plan Vivo Total Family. Or, if you prefer, you can also buy the 16GB iPhone 256 Pro for R$8.799, within the same plan, which offers up to 180 GB of internet for up to two lines. 

The operator is also offering up to R$400 to anyone who hands in their old cell phone, as long as it is in good condition and working, through the program. Vivo Renews.

And if you are a customer, migrate or sign up for postpaid or Control and have an iPhone, you can get an even bigger discount. The company mentions that a 15GB iPhone 256 Pro Max can provide a discount of up to R$3 on the purchase of the 16GB iPhone 256 Pro Max, with the price going from R$9.619 by R$6.619. 

We have already counted all the details of the new iPhone 16 in a special article, be sure to check it out.

Meta’s new AR glasses

Last week, we had Meta Connect, which in addition to officially presenting the Quest 3S and AI news for Facebook and Ray-Ban Meta, also showed the first details of the Meta Orion, a prototype of AR glasses that displays holograms. 

Development has been ongoing for 10 years and the big challenge, according to Meta's press release, was to create a device “wireless and weighing less than 100 grams”. 

The idea is for it to be a true personal assistant in various tasks: when making video calls, when cooking, playing games and even when working. 

For this to work, there are seven lenses spread throughout the device, in addition to it having a magnesium alloy structure, which Meta explains is lighter and allows for good heat management.

It will be able to reproduce screens within the user's 70-degree field of vision, all in 3D, through Micro LED projectors inside the frame, which project graphics in front of your eyes through waveguides in the lenses. 

The speakers and battery are located at the ends of the device's temples, similar to what we saw on the Ray-Ban Meta.

What can Meta Horizon do?

Meta plans to allow avatars to appear in video calls as holograms superimposed on the real world. Augmented reality games will be available, but the device will not run Meta Horizon OS, the operating system that powers the Meta Quest headset. 

People wearing the Orion glasses will be able to play ping pong with their hands. They will also be able to open multiple apps simultaneously, so they can work with the device. And while working, users will be able to make video calls at the same time.

With the support of computer vision cameras, Meta AI will be able to suggest recipes based on the ingredients in front of the user. 

During the event, a recipe was suggested in less than 30 seconds, with information not only on the step-by-step process, but also on the time needed for everything to be finished. Amazing, right?

Finally, a cinema mode will allow you to watch content from streaming services through the lenses, so that this can be done even if someone else is in the room. 

Complementary accessories

Meta Orion’s first accessory is a wristband with a “neural interface” to interpret signals from your brain. The device will launch with a EMG bracelet, acronym for electromyography, which tracks finger movements through electrical activation of muscles. 

The wristband lets you swipe, click and scroll with your arm relaxed, while the “neural interface” interprets brain signals, preventing jerky gestures. Meta AI recognizes voice commands, and cameras track hands and eyes to improve viewing of 3D holograms. A pinch gesture takes photos, and the AI ​​will improve the experience over time.

In addition to the bracelet, Meta will sell the glasses with a wireless computing disk for the Orion, which also functions as a control center. You will need to hold this computing disk up to 3 meters away to make use of all the features of the Orion glasses. Like this:

Meta's Orion holographic glasses don't have a release date or price yet. The company is still working on making them lighter and more comfortable, but an app development kit will be available soon.

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With information: The Verge (1 e 2)l Apple l Meta