OpenAI is broadening its campaign to persuade governments worldwide to establish additional data centers and promote increased utilization of artificial intelligence in sectors such as education, healthcare, and disaster readiness. The project, known as OpenAI for Countries, aims to extend the availability of its services and bridge the technological divide between nations with extensive AI resources and those lacking in capacity, according to the company.
Additionally, OpenAI seeks to foster deeper engagement with its technologies by highlighting that AI systems possess capabilities beyond what many individuals realize. A statement from the company shared with Reuters emphasized that most countries are not fully leveraging the potential offered by current AI systems.
The international initiative was launched by OpenAI last year and George Osborne, the former British finance minister, was appointed to oversee the operation in December. Osborne, along with Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer, are currently presenting the project to government officials at Davos this week.
This effort forms part of a broader strategy that has positioned OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, at the forefront of the contemporary AI surge. With a recent valuation of $500 billion, the company is contemplating a public offering that could value it at up to $1 trillion.
To date, eleven countries have joined OpenAI for Countries under varying agreements. For instance, Estonia is integrating ChatGPT Edu, an educational tool from OpenAI, into secondary schools nationwide. In Norway and the United Arab Emirates, OpenAI is collaborating with other firms to establish data centers and serve as their inaugural client.
OpenAI executives expressed their intention today to collaborate with governments on other initiatives like disaster preparedness. In South Korea, discussions are underway for a partnership with the government’s water management agency to create a real-time warning system for water-related disasters exacerbated by climate change.
According to OpenAI’s report, their “power users,” representing the top 5%, utilize OpenAI’s advanced reasoning features seven times more frequently than typical users. Furthermore, significant discrepancies exist within countries; for example, in Singapore where access to AI tools is widespread, individuals exchange over three times as many coding-related messages compared to average users.