When ChatGPT was launched for the public in late 2022, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told his team they were standing at the edge of a new technological revolution .

OpenAI could soon become “the most important company in the history of Silicon Valley,” Altman said, according to two former OpenAI employees who heard his remarks.

There is no shortage of ambition in the US tech industry. Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos often speak of transforming the world. Tesla head Elon Musk aims to colonize Mars.

Even by those standards, Altman’s aspirations stand out.

After reaching a deal with Microsoft on Tuesday that removes limits on how OpenAI raises money, Altman laid out even more ambitious plans to build out AI infrastructure to meet growing demand for tools powered by AI.

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