'He Fine-Tuned ChatGPT': Suchir Balaji's Mother Slams OpenAI For...
Poornima Rao, the mother of whistleblower and former OpenAI researcher Suchir Balaji, has spoken out against OpenAI, claiming that her son played a crucial role in fine-tuning the ChatGPT platform. She criticized the AI company for failing to acknowledge Suchir's contributions to their flagship product.
The San Francisco Police Department recently reopened the case of Suchir Balaji, who tragically passed away in his San Francisco apartment in November. Before his death, Balaji had raised ethical concerns about OpenAI's practices.
Recognition for His Work
During an interview with an influencer, Rao highlighted the significant improvements her son made to ChatGPT, making it faster and more efficient. She expressed disappointment over the lack of recognition for his efforts both during his time at OpenAI and after his passing.
Despite authorities ruling Balaji's death as a suicide, his family believes it was a premeditated murder and has called for an FBI investigation. Rao firmly believes that her son would not have taken his own life.
OpenAI Becoming For-Profit
Suchir Balaji's mother emphasized that her son initially joined OpenAI due to his belief in the positive impact of AI on humanity. She noted his admiration for OpenAI's nonprofit status at the start.
However, Balaji became disillusioned with OpenAI's transition to a for-profit organization, leading to his resignation in August 2023 after almost four years with the company.
Ethical Concerns
Balaji had been vocal about ethical and legal issues he encountered at OpenAI. He expressed concerns about the company's use of copyrighted material from the internet without proper authorization, stating that this practice was unsustainable for the internet ecosystem.
While OpenAI has refuted these claims, asserting that their data usage complies with US copyright law, Balaji's stance on the matter remains a point of contention.
Support from Elon Musk
Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur, has shown support for Balaji's mother's statements, indicating his agreement with her skepticism about the nature of Suchir's death.
For more details, you can view the video shared by Mario Nawfal here. You can also check out Elon Musk's tweet here.
