🐈 The ChatGPT API is coming

PLUS: GPT-4 might have images? OpenAI on Azure

Author

Pete Huang
January 17, 2023

gm! This is The Neuron. For only four payments of free-99, we'll send you the quick takes on AI's top headlines.

Today in AI:

  • OpenAI Announces ChatGPT API

  • Microsoft Puts OpenAI on Azure

  • The "ChatGPT in Education" Debate Rages On

  • Around the Horn

  • Leo Sends His Regards

OpenAI Announces ChatGPT API

Pop the kombucha. It's here.

Ever since ChatGPT was released end of November 2022, developers have been clamoring for the API.

Now, it's here. Interested developers should sign up for the waitlist here.

What does this mean? Developers everywhere are about to embark on a global hackathon to build the coolest stuff using ChatGPT (both new and into existing software).

Stepping back: A new AI model only means fun toys to play with when 1) they build an app for it, 2) they open source it (and developers build apps) or 3) they release an API (and developers build apps on it).

OpenAI did the first (ChatGPT), but it's much better to let the community of developers spread the ChatGPT gospel for them. And OpenAI isn't into open source stuff, so here they are with the API.

Wait, so what do the current "AI" apps use? That's the GPT-3 API. In order to turn GPT-3 into ChatGPT, OpenAI gave GPT-3 extra training to make it better at following instructions and handling conversations. This API gets you that end model.

Stay tuned to our Around the Horn section once the API is officially out. It'll be a party over there.

Microsoft Puts OpenAI on Azure

Sorry, product managers. You're gonna have to redo that 2023 roadmap.

Microsoft's Azure OpenAI Service is now fully released. Don't read the page, it's a bunch of corporate marketing speak.

TL;DR: This gives enterprises access to OpenAI's APIs (GPT-3, Whisper and, yes, the above ChatGPT API when released) built into Microsoft's enterprise-grade cloud services.

ChatGPT's penetration into the C-suite is surprisingly deep after just 6 weeks on the market.

Enterprise experiments in AI products abound. Especially since engineering teams can play nice with their IT/security counterparts now that it's all in a Microsoft product vs. some "untested" 3rd party (OpenAI).

Early to the party. Companies like Al Jazeera Digital, CarMax and Moveworks have been beta testing the service. They've mostly been using GPT-3 to summarize customer feedback and spin it into new content (help articles, marketing content).

Microsoft is nailing the comms this month. ChatGPT had already put the pressure on Google in December, with many wondering if this was the beginning of the end for Google Search.

Now, Microsoft has dialed it up with 2 straight weeks of dominating headlines:

  • Bing x OpenAI

  • Word, Powerpoint, Outlook x OpenAI

  • Microsoft x OpenAI investment

  • Azure x OpenAI

It kinda feels like Microsoft is popping off and there's...silence from Google.

The "ChatGPT in Education" Debate Rages On

We're in DEFCON 1 of panic.

The New York Times ran a piece on the thrash that ChatGPT is causing in universities.

In short, everyone's trying everything:

  • (Trying) to ban ChatGPT

  • Using GPTZero to detect AI-generated submissions

  • Quizzing students on their thought process

  • Shifting material to post-2021 events (that ChatGPT doesn't know about) or more niche content

  • Moving all assessments to in-class vs. take-home

  • Getting rid of essays entirely

This is disruption in action, folks. Can you imagine being Class of 2024? Zoom University for 2 years, then all your professors change your entire curriculum.

Around the Horn

DM me links on Twitter: @nonmayorpete

Leo Sends His Regards

That's all we have for today. See you cool cats on Twitter if you're there: @nonmayorpete

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