Legal issues also arose, with leading AI startups like OpenAI and Stability AI facing copyright infringement lawsuits. The Biden administration issued an executive order requiring startups developing large AI models to disclose them to the government, causing concern about stifling innovation. The year also saw a divide among AI leaders about whether AI technology should be developed openly or behind closed doors. The key questions for 2024 revolve around the economics of AI, with most companies expected to realize that smaller, more specialized models make more sense for most AI use cases.
Key takeaways:
- 2023 was a significant year for AI, with billions of dollars in VC funding flowing into the sector and rapid advancements in technology, including the launch of ChatGPT which gained 100 million monthly users within two months.
- Several AI startups, including OpenAI, Stability AI and Anthropic, faced copyright infringement lawsuits from artists, writers and coders who claimed their copyrighted content was used without consent or pay.
- AI technology has raised concerns about exploitation, with instances of fake news stories and nonconsensual AI-generated porn proliferating on the internet, and fears of job losses among freelancers due to AI's ability to generate content faster and cheaper.
- The Biden administration issued an executive order requiring startups developing large AI models that could pose national security risks to disclose them to the government, sparking concerns among startups about potential stifling of innovation.