March 11, 2025 News
OpenAI Develops Advanced Creative Writing AI Model
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that the company has trained a new AI model with impressive creative writing capabilities, particularly in metafiction. Altman shared a sample of the model's writing but did not provide details on when or how it might be released, noting this is the first time he's been genuinely impressed by AI-generated literature.
Skynet Chance (+0.04%): The advancement into sophisticated creative writing demonstrates AI's growing ability to understand and simulate human creativity and emotional expression, bringing it closer to human-like comprehension which could make future misalignment more consequential if systems can better manipulate human emotions and narratives.
Skynet Date (-1 days): This expansion into creative domains suggests AI capability development is moving faster than expected, with systems now conquering artistic expression that was previously considered distinctly human, potentially accelerating the timeline for more sophisticated autonomous agents.
AGI Progress (+0.05%): Creative writing requires complex understanding of human emotions, cultural references, and narrative structure - capabilities that push models closer to general intelligence by demonstrating comprehension of deeply human experiences rather than just technical or structured tasks.
AGI Date (-2 days): OpenAI's success in an area previously considered challenging for AI indicates faster than expected progress in generalist capabilities, suggesting the timeline for achieving more comprehensive AGI may be accelerating as AI masters increasingly diverse cognitive domains.
OpenAI Unveils Tools for Building Autonomous AI Agents
OpenAI has launched the Responses API, replacing its Assistants API, to help businesses develop custom AI agents capable of performing web searches, scanning files, and navigating websites. The release includes access to GPT-4o search models, a file search utility, and a Computer-Using Agent model that can generate mouse and keyboard actions to automate tasks.
Skynet Chance (+0.11%): The development of increasingly autonomous AI agents with the ability to navigate websites, search data, and control computers represents a significant step toward systems that can operate independently in digital environments, raising potential control and alignment concerns as these capabilities become more sophisticated and widely deployed.
Skynet Date (-4 days): OpenAI's aggressive push to commercialize autonomous agent capabilities, despite acknowledged reliability issues, suggests a concerning acceleration toward increasingly independent AI systems with access to digital infrastructure before adequate safety measures and oversight mechanisms are fully established.
AGI Progress (+0.14%): The release of tools enabling AI to autonomously navigate digital environments, perform research, and control computers represents a substantial advancement toward AGI by combining multiple capabilities (reasoning, planning, tool use) into cohesive agent systems that can accomplish complex tasks with limited human oversight.
AGI Date (-5 days): OpenAI's commercial deployment of agentic capabilities, with CEO Sam Altman explicitly stating that "2025 is the year AI agents enter the workforce," signals that autonomous AI systems are developing faster than previously expected, significantly accelerating the timeline for more capable AGI-adjacent technologies.
EU Softens AI Regulatory Approach Amid International Pressure
The EU has released a third draft of the Code of Practice for general purpose AI (GPAI) providers that appears to relax certain requirements compared to earlier versions. The draft uses mediated language like "best efforts" and "reasonable measures" for compliance with copyright and transparency obligations, while also narrowing safety requirements for the most powerful models following criticism from industry and US officials.
Skynet Chance (+0.06%): The weakening of AI safety and transparency regulations in the EU, particularly for the most powerful models, reduces oversight and accountability mechanisms that could help prevent misalignment or harmful capabilities, potentially increasing risks from advanced AI systems deployed with inadequate safeguards or monitoring.
Skynet Date (-2 days): The softening of regulatory requirements reduces friction for AI developers, potentially accelerating the deployment timeline for powerful AI systems with fewer mandatory safety evaluations or risk mitigation measures in place.
AGI Progress (+0.03%): While this regulatory shift doesn't directly advance AGI capabilities, it creates a more permissive environment for AI companies to develop and deploy increasingly powerful models with fewer constraints, potentially enabling faster progress toward advanced capabilities without commensurate safety measures.
AGI Date (-3 days): The dilution of AI regulations in response to industry and US pressure creates a more favorable environment for rapid AI development with fewer compliance burdens, potentially accelerating the timeline for AGI by reducing regulatory friction and oversight requirements.