Top stories today:

1. OpenAI: Microsoft to join as board observer
2. Elon tells advertisers to “go f*** [themselves]”
3. Perplexity AI launch “online LLMs” that outperform GPT-3.5
4. Amazon launches Titan Image Generator in preview
5. XPRIZE Healthspan: $101M prize for 10-year+ rejuvenation
6. Life expectancy +1.1 year to 77.5 years in 2022

0. Data and calendar

1. OpenAI: Microsoft to join as board observer, as CTO denies link between firings, safety

• Microsoft board observer: “We are pleased that this Board will include a non-voting observer for Microsoft,” said Chair Bret Taylor.

  • Investigation of events: “This will include convening an independent committee of the Board to oversee a review of the recent events.”

• Unrelated to safety: “[The events that just unfolded have] nothing to do with safety,” said CTO Mira Murati.

• Ilya’s role is unclear: “While Ilya will no longer serve on the board, we hope to continue our working relationship and are discussing how he can continue his work at OpenAI,” said CEO Sam Altman.

2. Elon tells advertisers to “go f*** [themselves]”, predicts AGI in 3 years

• “If someone’s going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go f*** yourself. Go f*** yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is. Hey, Bob [Iger, CEO of Disney], if you’re in the audience.”

  • “Tesla has done more to help the environment than all the other companies combined. What I care about is the reality of goodness, not the perception of it. And what I see all of over the place is looking good, while doing evil. F*** them.”

• I would say that we are less than 3 years from that point: [can] write as good a novel as J.K. Rowling, or discover new physics, or invent new technology.”

4. Perplexity AI launch “online LLMs” that outperform GPT-3.5, Llama 2