The eternal complement
An OpenAI-hosted essay argues AI should complement scarce execution capacity, not just multiply genius.
OpenAI published "The eternal complement," the first essay in a series on the next economy, and the authors say it reflects their views rather than OpenAI's. They argue scientific ambition has outrun the labor, instruments, and institutions needed to execute ideas. Citing Nick Bloom and coauthors, they note sustaining Moore's law now requires more than 18 times as many researchers as in the early 1970s, while measured research productivity fell by a factor of 41 as effort rose twenty-three-fold. They contend AI's immediate role is to complement human ingenuity by making execution less scarce.
- Essay is independent commentary hosted by OpenAI, not company policy.
- Sustaining Moore's law now needs over 18 times as many researchers.
- Research productivity fell forty-one-fold while effort rose twenty-three-fold.
- Authors say near-term AI mainly makes execution cheaper for more people.
From the original article
13 min read at openai.com
Advanced AI may matter most for the routine work behind breakthrough ideas. Explore why execution could shape the next economy and the pace of progress.
openai.com
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