In a bewildering turn of events, a Reddit account verified to be that of Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, recently claimed that the company has achieved Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). The post followed a similar claim by a mysterious insider known by the pseudonym “Jimmy Apples,” who has previously made accurate predictions about OpenAI’s projects. However, given the unusual circumstances surrounding these claims, the tech community is left wondering if this is a genuine revelation or an elaborate trolling effort.
The Reddit Enigma
The Reddit account, unused for nearly five years, raised eyebrows for its sudden reactivation. Altman’s post was in a thread discussing the deletion of Jimmy Apples’ Twitter account, adding another layer of intrigue.
It leaves the community with two possibilities: either OpenAI has genuinely achieved AGI, or the CEO is engaging in some form of high-level trolling.
Who is Jimmy Apples?
The pseudonymous Jimmy Apples has been a peculiar yet seemingly reliable figure in tech rumor mills.
He accurately predicted the release date of GPT-4 and also claimed the name of OpenAI’s next multi-modal model, Gobi. His sudden disappearance from Twitter only adds to the speculation, leaving some to wonder whether OpenAI has identified an internal leaker.
Hacked Account or Calculated Move?
The fact that Altman’s Reddit account had been dormant for five years introduces another angle: the possibility of hacking. While the account was verified, the long period of inactivity makes it vulnerable to unauthorized access. If hacked, this could be an elaborate ruse to create chaos in the tech community.
Public Reactions
The Reddit thread quickly filled with comments, many skeptical of the claim. Some pointed to the credibility of Jimmy Apples, given his track record of accurate predictions. However, others dismissed the entire episode as an elaborate joke. One user stated, “The entire planet has now been emulated by ASI, and we’re having this conversation inside of it. Good going.”
Implications and Consequences
If OpenAI has indeed achieved AGI, it would be a groundbreaking moment for technology and humanity. However, the bizarre way in which this news has surfaced casts doubt on its authenticity. Until more concrete evidence is presented, the tech world remains in a state of wary curiosity.
Update: Sam has now updated the Reddit post confirming he was trolling the Reddit community, saying:
Good troll Sam, but when you make the official announcement, we will be having it with a tiny pinch of extra salt.
