OpenAI's $200 Million Pentagon Pact: Skynet or Just Smarter Spreadsheets?

From Desktops to Defense: My How Times Change

Well hello there! Bill Gates here still kicking and coding in my mind even if I'm mostly focused on eradicating malaria these days. But when I see OpenAI snagging a cool $200 million from the U.S. Department of Defense it's hard not to feel a nostalgic tug. Back in my day we were just trying to put a PC on every desk. Now they're putting AI in every fighter jet...or something like that.

War Games and Wonder Algorithms

The DoD says OpenAI will be developing 'prototype frontier AI capabilities' for 'critical national security challenges.' Sounds like a plot from one of those sci fi movies I secretly binge watch. I can't help but wonder if they'll be using AI to optimize logistics predict enemy movements or dare I say write better memos than the ones I used to get. Maybe I should've thought of this when I was their age.

Sam Altman: The New Sheriff in AI Town

Sam Altman that whippersnapper seems pretty gung ho about the whole thing. He even told Paul Nakasone (former NSA bigwig) that OpenAI is 'proud' to engage in national security areas. Good for him! I mean I always said that information at your fingertips was empowering. I never thought it'd be powering…well you know. But hey progress right? Just hope they don't accidentally create Skynet eh? Because you know been there done that don't want that T shirt.

Anduril and Anthropic Join the AI Arms Race

It's not just OpenAI getting in on the action. Anduril and Anthropic are also cozying up to the defense sector. Feels like the start of a new kind of arms race doesn't it? Except instead of missiles it's algorithms. And instead of nuclear winter we're worried about AI bias. I can't help but think that innovation is good but we need to think about the ethics. This stuff is important!

Stargate Project: Building the AI Foundation (for World Domination?)

Speaking of AI infrastructure remember that $500 billion Stargate project? Sounds like a Bond villain's lair. But I hope they focus on development of this AI infrastructure within the United States. Because for obvious reasons. I joke but I'm also concerned. We need to ensure this technology benefits humanity and doesn't... well you get the idea.

AI Ethics: More Important Than Ever

Look I'm a tech optimist at heart. I still believe in the power of innovation to solve the world's biggest problems. But this AI stuff? It's different. It's powerful. It's...potentially a bit scary. As I always said 'The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.' Let's make sure we're automating the right things for the right reasons. And let's make sure we're all still around to see it.