Silicon Valley isn't creating anything any more, says Sam Altman (ChatGPT)

Sam Altmanthe CEO ofOpenAIIn a recent appearance on a podcast hosted by Nicolai Tangen, Managing Director of Norges Bank Investment, Sam Altman did not mince his words. Contrary to what might have been expected, Sam Altman did not praise Silicon Valley, but rather strongly criticised it.

In his view, Silicon Valley has lost the spirit of innovation that was once the key to its success. He explains: "Silicon Valley companies used to carry out excellent research, Xerox PARC being the most obvious example. That hasn't been the case for a long time.

This statement puzzled his interviewer, who replied: "I'm surprised that you say there's no culture of innovation in Silicon Valley, because that goes against what I thought.

Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT, then retorted, "I hate to say this, because it may sound arrogant, but before OpenAI, what was the last major scientific breakthrough made by a Silicon Valley company?"

To back up his comments, Sam Altman believes that Silicon Valley's energy is now mainly devoted to creating 'unicorns' (start-ups valued at over a billion dollars) as quickly as possible, particularly on the Internet and via smartphones. This industry attracts the majority of talent, which is no longer mobilised for truly innovative research.

Of course, such statements are likely to provoke strong reactions in Silicon Valley, as they call into question the region's image as the cradle of disruption. Instead, Sam Altman describes it as a place where companies seek above all to maximise their profits in the shortest possible time, with little boldness.

This is not the first time this year that the head of OpenAI has been in the news for controversial comments. In particular, he has strongly criticised teleworking and advocated a return to the office.

The OpenAI boss also spoke about ChatGPT, explaining: "The benefits of AI are numerous, according to him. These tools will help us be more productive (I can't wait to spend less time emailing!), healthier (AI medical advisors for people who can't afford healthcare), smarter (students using ChatGPT to learn) and more entertained (AI memes lololol)."

His suggestion that disadvantaged people, who do not have access to healthcare, could interact with a chatbot provoked strong reactions.