Rodger Werkhoven captivated the audience at the AI.Weekend with his talk, ‘OpenAI: How an Obscure Research Lab Had Google, Microsoft, and Apple Panicking’. In his first visit to Croatia, Werkhoven wasted no time diving into how OpenAI’s rapid rise has reshaped industries and pushed tech giants to rethink their strategies.
He humorously addressed common fears surrounding AI, dismissing the notion of ‘evil machines’ while acknowledging the profound impact AI is already having, particularly in creative industries where machines are generating art, music, and even literature. Werkhoven reminded the audience that AI has historical roots, dating back to ancient Greek mythologies about mechanical giants, and referenced the 2013 movie Her, noting how science fiction is increasingly becoming reality with tools like DALL-E and ChatGPT.
One of the key moments of the talk was his reflection on the panic caused within companies like Google and Apple. OpenAI’s rapid success, exemplified by ChatGPT reaching 100 million users within weeks, has fundamentally changed the way we interact with technology. Google’s ‘code red’ response to the rise of AI tools underscored the disruptive potential of AI, with Werkhoven pointing out, ‘Why would you ever use Google when you can ask ChatGPT anything?’ Even Apple, long seen as a leader in tech industry, found itself facing criticism for Siri’s shortcomings in comparison to AI-powered assistants
Werkhoven emphasized that AI tools like ChatGPT represent a shift that is redefining industries, particularly in education, where AI has the potential to offer personalized learning experiences, even to children in underserved regions like Africa. However, he also cautioned that the unchecked growth of AI could lead to unintended consequences, drawing a parallel to the fictional Skynet from The Terminator as a metaphor for AI’s potential risks.
Despite the challenges, Werkhoven remains optimistic. ‘AI won’t replace people but will empower those who embrace it. Creative professionals are poised to thrive in this new landscape, as companies that invest in creative talents will be the ones to survive in an AI-driven future’. He emphasized that creative people are the future of companies, underlining the importance of human ingenuity in an era dominated by AI tools.
