GS Paper - III

OpenAI has dropped its latest AI model, which is part of its secretive ‘Project Strawberry’. The new OpenAI o1 is the first in a planned series of “reasoning” models that have been designed to solve more complex tasks and problems in science, coding, and maths.

How does the new model work?

• The new model is designed to “think” more carefully about queries before answering, much similar to how humans do while solving a complex problem.
• The company said through its training, the model learns how to approach problems from different perspectives, check its output and learn from its mistakes.
• Based on their tests, OpenAI said the next model update in the series can perform as well as PhD students in subjects like physics, chemistry, and biology, and it is particularly strong in maths and coding.
• For instance, in a tough maths contest, the model solved 83 per cent of the problems when compared to earlier versions that were only able to get about 13 per cent of the problems. Similarly, in coding, the model ranked higher than 89 per cent of coding participants.
• However, OpenAI has said that the o1 model is an early version and is yet to be equipped with other handy features such as browsing the web or managing files and images.
• It excels in solving more complex tasks, which is a big leap forward in AI technology. The first of the series is being introduced by the company as “OpenAI o1”.
• The o1 series excels at accurately generating and debugging complex code. The company has also released OpenAI o1-Mini for developers, especially to endow them with a faster, cheaper, and reasoning model that is effective at coding.
• The o1-mini is 80 per cent cheaper than the o1-preview version, making it a cost-effective application with reasoning albeit broad knowledge.

How is it going to impact jobs and research?

• Since the new model can solve complex problems, it may impact jobs that could include tasks such as software development, data analysis, coding, mathematical modelling, etc.
• Reasoning is an intellectual task, and automating it would likely reduce the need for human involvement in some routine coding and troubleshooting in industries like IT, finance, and engineering.
• Since OpenAI o1 can perform tasks at a level that is on par with PhD students, the existing workers may need to acquire higher-order thinking skills like creativity, critical analysis, and problem-solving, which AI models may not fully imitate.
• A model like this could lead to reduced demand in some traditional roles. However, it may also lead to the emergence of new opportunities in AI safety, ethical use of AI, and AI maintenance.
• When it comes to researchers, OpenAI o1 can be an assistant in fields like physics, chemistry, biology, and healthcare as it can speed up problem-solving.
• The model’s ability to generate formulas and analyse large datasets makes it a great tool for researchers looking for major breakthroughs.
• In this sense, OpenAI o1 is a big step forward in AI’s handling of tasks that are traditionally managed by highly skilled professionals.