VOA慢速：ChatGPT制造商OpenAI的高层领导变动

Top Leadership Changes at ChatGPT Maker OpenAI

刘立军 供稿

TRANSCRIPT

Artificial intelligence (AI) system developer OpenAI was under new leadership Monday after a series of recent changes that included the removal of former chief executive Sam Altman.

OpenAI said on Friday it had dismissed Altman after a “breakdown of communications,” with the company’s board of directors, several news services reported. Altman’s “behavior and lack of transparency” had limited “the board’s ability to effectively supervise the company,” the New York Times reported a non-public company document as saying.

OpenAI announced it had replaced Altman with Emmett Shear, a technology executive who formerly led live video gaming service Twitch.

Greg Brockman, a president and co-founder of OpenAI, along with several company leaders, quit after Altman’s removal. Some wrote on X, “OpenAI is nothing without its people.”

The Associated Press reported that several hundred OpenAI employees also signed a letter calling for the board to step down and Altman to return.

Microsoft has invested billions of dollars in OpenAI in recent years. The company has supported the AI developer’s machine learning models with its knowledge and experience in building powerful computing machines. Both Microsoft chief Satya Nadella and OpenAI’s Shear said they remain committed to their existing business partnership.

Microsoft also announced on Monday that it had hired Altman, along with Brockman, to lead a new specialized AI research team at the company.

Nadella wrote on X that he was “extremely excited” to bring on the former executives of OpenAI and looked “forward to getting to know” Shear and the rest of the leadership team. Altman wrote on X, “the mission continues,” while Brockman promised, “We are going to build something new and it will be incredible.”

Altman became the face of a new generation of AI systems, called chatbots, that have captured a flood of media attention in recent years. Chatbots are designed to interact smoothly with humans and perform high-level writing. The technology is also known as “generative AI.” The launch and widespread popularity of OpenAI’s ChatGPT tool started a wave of development in the field.

In a statement on X, Shear dismissed media reports suggesting Altman’s removal came because of disputes between top OpenAI leaders over the safety of the company’s AI methods. Shear promised to hire an independent investigator to look into what led to Altman’s ouster and offered to give a report within 30 days.

“It’s clear that the process and communications around Sam’s removal has been handled very badly, which has seriously damaged our trust,” wrote Shear. He noted he also plans in the coming weeks to “reform the management and leadership team in light of recent departures into an effective force” and “to speak with employees, investors and users of OpenAI products.”

Shear noted the reason behind the board removing Altman was not a “specific disagreement on safety.” Media reports have suggested disputes within OpenAI’s leadership about the company’s stated plans to safely build AI that is “generally smarter than humans.”

On a podcast in June, Shear said he is generally optimistic about technology. But he noted he has serious concerns about a possible path to create systems that are “a lot smarter than us” and could endanger humans.

Shear wrote that he had accepted the job “because I believe that OpenAI is one of the most important companies currently in existence.”

Richard Windsor heads the British-based financial research company Radio Free Mobile. He told Reuters there had been conflicts between OpenAI’s mission to build technology to help people and that of its investors, who have expected a financial return on their investments in the company.

“This weekend was simply the detonation of a bomb that has been waiting to go off,” Windsor said.

I’m Bryan Lynn.

VOCABULARY

1. Twitch n.一种直播视频游戏服务，曾由Emmett Shear担任负责人。

2. generative adj. 生成的，产生的。在这里指代ChatGPT工具使用的generative AI（生成型人工智能）技术。

3. ouster n. 罢免，废黜，撤职（用于新闻报道）

4. endanger v. 危及，使处于危险中。在这里指创建超过人类智能的AI系统可能对人类构成威胁。

5. detonation n. 爆炸；起爆；引爆

QUESTIONS

Listen to the news and choose the best answer to each question you hear.

1. Who was dismissed from their position as chief executive of OpenAI?

A. Greg Brockman.

B. Emmett Shear.

C. Sam Altman.

D. Satya Nadella.

2. What was the reported reason for Sam Altman’s dismissal from OpenAI?

A. Disagreements over financial strategies.

B. Breakdown of communications with the board.

C. Problems with technology execution.

D. Personal misconduct.

3. Who took over as the new leader of OpenAI following Sam Altman’s removal?

A. Greg Brockman.

B. Emmett Shear.

C. Satya Nadella.

D. Richard Windsor.

4. What action did several hundred OpenAI employees take in response to Sam Altman’s removal?

A. They expressed support for the new leadership.

B. They resigned in protest.

C. They signed a letter calling for the board to step down.

D. They sought employment at Microsoft.

5. What has Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI been characterized by in recent years, according to the text?

A. Microsoft has provided legal assistance to OpenAI.

B. Microsoft has been competing with OpenAI in AI development.

C. Microsoft has supported OpenAI with investments and technology expertise.

D. Microsoft has been attempting to merge with OpenAI.

KEY 

1. Who was dismissed from their position as chief executive of OpenAI?

A. Greg Brockman.

B. Emmett Shear.

C. Sam Altman.

D. Satya Nadella.

【答案】C

【解析】细节题。命题出处在文本中的句子：Artificial intelligence (AI) system developer OpenAI was under new leadership Monday after a series of recent changes that included the removal of former chief executive Sam Altman. 根据这句话，可以明确知道Sam Altman是被开除的前首席执行官，所以正确答案是C。

2. What was the reported reason for Sam Altman’s dismissal from OpenAI?

A. Disagreements over financial strategies.

B. Breakdown of communications with the board.

C. Problems with technology execution.

D. Personal misconduct.

【答案】B

【解析】细节题。命题出处为：OpenAI said on Friday it had dismissed Altman after a ‘breakdown of communications,’ with the company’s board of directors... 这表明Sam Altman因为与董事会的沟通问题而被解雇，所以正确答案是B。

3. Who took over as the new leader of OpenAI following Sam Altman’s removal?

A. Greg Brockman.

B. Emmett Shear.

C. Satya Nadella.

D. Richard Windsor.

【答案】B

【解析】细节题。命题出处在文本中叙述Emmett Shear接任的部分：OpenAI announced it had replaced Altman with Emmett Shear, a technology executive who formerly led live video gaming service Twitch. 根据这里的信息，Emmett Shear是接替Sam Altman成为OpenAI新执行官的人，所以正确答案是B。

4. What action did several hundred OpenAI employees take in response to Sam Altman’s removal?

A. They expressed support for the new leadership.

B. They resigned in protest.

C. They signed a letter calling for the board to step down.

D. They sought employment at Microsoft.

【答案】C

【解析】细节题。命题出处在文本中提到员工反应的部分：The Associated Press reported that several hundred OpenAI employees also signed a letter calling for the board to step down and Altman to return. 明确指出有几百名OpenAI员工签署了一封信，呼吁董事会下台并要求Sam Altman返回，因此正确答案是C。

5. What has Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI been characterized by in recent years, according to the text?

A. Microsoft has provided legal assistance to OpenAI.

B. Microsoft has been competing with OpenAI in AI development.

C. Microsoft has supported OpenAI with investments and technology expertise.

D. Microsoft has been attempting to merge with OpenAI.

【答案】C

【解析】 细节题。命题出处在文本描述Microsoft和OpenAI关系的部分：Microsoft has invested billions of dollars in OpenAI in recent years. The company has supported the AI developer’s machine learning models with its knowledge and experience in building powerful computing machines. 这段描述说明微软通过投资和技术专业知识支持了OpenAI，因此正确答案是C。