Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, initially underestimated the impact of ChatGPT, a chatbot they considered not releasing publicly. However, its November 2022 launch marked a pivotal moment in generative AI, leading to significant investments and new products in 2023. Generative AI has penetrated various sectors, including finance and biomedical research. A July survey showed 95% of utility and energy companies discussing its use.
Nvidia’s financials reflect this trend, with a sixfold increase in net income to $17.5 billion in the first three quarters of 2023 and a 237% stock price surge. Generative AI’s influence expanded into corporate narratives, affecting companies like Chegg, whose stock fell 48% due to ChatGPT’s impact on customer growth.
OpenAI faced internal challenges, including Sam Altman’s temporary ousting over safety concerns and aggressive commercialization. He returned after employee and investor pressure. These events highlighted the debate between AI skeptics and supporters, with concerns over biases and potential harms to minorities.
ChatGPT’s success, with 100 million weekly users and widespread corporate adoption, led to a $10 billion investment from Microsoft and talks of a potential $100 billion valuation. Google, caught off guard, accelerated its Bard chatbot release, featuring its LaMDA language model and the new Gemini AI model.
Generative AI for images and video emerged in 2022 but lagged behind chatbots. Companies like Meta, Google, and Amazon are integrating these technologies into products like Instagram and advertising tools. The focus is shifting towards multimodal AI, combining various mediums.
Generative AI’s productivity potential is being explored in tasks like scheduling, travel booking, and sales. OpenAI announced customizable GPT versions for specific uses. In coding, Microsoft’s GitHub reports 46% AI-generated code, with GitHub introducing a more advanced Copilot assistant.
Despite consumer excitement and adoption, tangible business success stories are limited. The generative AI landscape is expected to evolve, with businesses needing to demonstrate the value of their investments in advanced technologies.
Overall, 2023 was significant for generative AI’s consumer impact, but widespread enterprise adoption and product deployment may take longer. Nvidia emerged as a major beneficiary, highlighting the ongoing challenge for businesses to leverage their investments effectively.