OpenAI & ChatGPT  | 238

Summary

Podcast Summary: Down to Business English #238

Episode Title: OpenAI & ChatGPT
Date: January 29, 2023
Hosts: Skip Montreux (Tokyo, Japan) & Samantha Vega (New Plymouth, New Zealand)

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Overview

In the first episode of 2023, Skip and Samantha delve into the business story that’s dominating the tech world: OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The hosts break down what ChatGPT is, its origins, and why experts consider it revolutionary—perhaps even a threat to Google’s dominance in search. The discussion aims to inform and engage business English learners with current events, important terminology, and practical insights into artificial intelligence’s business implications.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introducing ChatGPT (03:04–03:49)

• What is ChatGPT?
  • Samantha refers to it as “some kind of AI or artificial intelligence chatbox.” (03:13)
  • Skip explains it’s not just a regular chatbot but “has experts both in the tech industry and beyond sitting up and taking notice.” Many see it as “revolutionary and that it poses a serious threat to many tech giants, the likes of Google—a Google killer.” (03:26–03:48)

2. Explaining GPT & What ChatGPT Can Do (04:40–06:08)

• Simple Explanation:

  • Skip: “ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbox application. GPT stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer.” (04:43–04:55)
  • It’s trained on huge amounts of data to generate human-like text, answer questions, and create written content on demand. “You simply tell ChatGPT the features of your product that you want to highlight and ChatGPT will spit out a proposal in a few seconds.” (05:24–05:40)

• Business Usefulness:

  • Can help with drafts, proposals, emails—“a major time saver for anyone who needs to write a lot of reports or marketing material or email.” (05:49)

3. The Origins of OpenAI (06:08–08:52)

• Who Developed ChatGPT?

  • OpenAI launched in 2015 “as a non-profit organization.” (06:10)
  • Started by “some pretty heavy hitters from both the technology world and the venture capital world.” (06:26)
    • Founders & backers include: Sam Altman, Peter Thiel, Amazon Web Services, Infosys, Y Combinator Research, and notably, Elon Musk. (07:08–07:28)
    • Musk left the board in 2018 due to a “possible future conflict of interest with Tesla AI.” (07:31–07:51)

• Change to "Capped For-Profit" (08:02–08:52):

  • In 2019, OpenAI shifted to “a capped for profit organization”—limiting profit to 100x investment but allowing them to raise more funds and reward employees through shares.
  • Microsoft invested $1 billion in 2019. (08:52)

4. Growth & Popularity of ChatGPT (09:11–09:45)

• Rapid Adoption:
  • “It only took five days for it to reach the 1 million user mark.” (09:11)
  • Compares to Twitter (2 years), Facebook (10 months), Instagram (3 months). “It certainly is an indicator at how useful people are finding ChatGPT.” (09:37–09:45)

5. Threat to Google & Search Industry (09:51–11:43)

• Why is ChatGPT Revolutionary?

  • “When you search for information on Google, you have to wade through all kinds of web pages, advertisements...” (09:51)
  • ChatGPT gives succinct, direct answers—no distractions. “In the short time that I've been playing around with it, I would have to say that I am turning to ChatGPT over Google search more and more.” (10:13–10:33)

• Limitations and Future Potential:

  • Current version only trained on data up till Oct 2021. The next version will probably be connected to the internet in real time—making it an even bigger threat to Google's core business. (10:33–10:53)

• Industry Reaction:

  • New York Times called ChatGPT a “code red for Google, that ChatGPT could very well be the tech industry’s next big, big disruptor.” (10:56)

• Why Google Isn’t Responding Quickly:

  • Technology behind ChatGPT originated at Google, but they hesitate because it “would cannibalize their revenue model of selling digital ads.” (11:23–11:31)
  • Microsoft is moving faster and is preparing to integrate ChatGPT into Bing, potentially backed by an additional $10 billion investment in OpenAI. (11:43–12:17)

6. Is This a Search Revolution? (12:17–13:05)

• Skip’s Perspective:
  • “ChatGPT in the form it is now? No [won’t take Google down]. But... we are on the cusp of a major development in the way tech is used in business and in our daily lives.” (12:22–12:38)
  • “AI is going to completely revolutionize the way we work, the way we study, and the way we do things. And it is not some distant future world I’m talking about. It is happening right now and is going to unfold very quickly over the next few years.” (12:42–13:05)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “ChatGPT is not your run of the mill chatbox. It has experts both in the tech industry and beyond sitting up and taking notice.” — Skip (03:26)
• “You simply tell ChatGPT the features of your product that you want to highlight and ChatGPT will spit out a proposal in a few seconds.” — Skip (05:24)
• “OpenAI’s intention or aim was to develop and promote friendly artificial intelligence in a way that would benefit everyone.” — Skip (06:26)
• “It only took five days for it to reach the 1 million user mark.” — Skip (09:11)
• “In the short time that I’ve been playing around with it, I would have to say that I am turning to ChatGPT over Google search more and more.” — Skip (10:32)
• “AI is going to completely revolutionize the way we work, the way we study, and the way we do things... It is happening right now and is going to unfold very quickly over the next few years.” — Skip (12:42)

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Important Timestamps

• [03:04] — Introduction to ChatGPT and its industry buzz
• [04:43] — Simple explanation of ChatGPT & GPT meaning
• [06:08] — Who developed ChatGPT and the origins of OpenAI
• [07:28] — Elon Musk’s involvement and exit
• [08:02] — Transition to “capped for profit” model
• [09:11] — ChatGPT’s viral user growth
• [09:51] — Why experts find it revolutionary/Google killer
• [10:56] — The New York Times “code red” reference for Google
• [11:43] — Microsoft’s strategic moves with ChatGPT
• [12:22] — Skip’s prediction about AI’s business impact

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Podcast Language/Tone

• The hosts balance playful banter with clear, upbeat explanations and business vocabulary.
• The tone is conversational, friendly, and accessible, catering to an international audience aiming to improve business English.

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Vocabulary Segment Highlights (14:54–22:59)

• To work out a kink: “To solve or straighten out a small problem...” (15:34)
• Heavy hitter: “Powerful or influential person or organization.” (16:51–17:04)
• To spearhead: “To take a leading role in a project or movement.” (18:43)
• To wade through: “Navigate or make progress through a complex situation.” (20:07–20:29)
• To go down a rabbit hole: “Getting lost in deep research or distractions, especially online.” (21:09–22:41)

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Closing & Look Ahead

• The hosts hint at more episodes on AI and its developments, with Samantha expressing mixed feelings: “I'm not sure if I should be excited or terrified.” (13:16)
• Skip: “I know I am a little of both.” (13:20)
• Plans for guest interviews and wide-ranging future business topics are teased. (24:06–24:50)

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Summary Takeaway:
This episode provides a clear, contextual overview of ChatGPT and OpenAI, breaking down their business significance and future impact. It’s a well-balanced introduction for listeners wanting to understand how AI is about to shift the business landscape, laced with useful business English terms and real-world implications for the tech industry.

Transcript

[A]

From tokyo, japan and new plymouth, new zealand, this is down to business english with your hosts, skip montreux and samantha vega.

[B]

Happy New Year, Samantha.

[C]

Ah, it's a little late in January for that, isn't it?

[B]

I know, but this is is the very first episode of 2023 for down to Business English, so it seems like the appropriate greeting.

[C]

I suppose so. Closer to Chinese New Year, Kunghae fat choi.

[B]

Oh, how do I pronounce that?

[C]

Well, now I believe that it is Kung hei fat choy.

[B]

Kung hei fat choy.

[C]

Happy New Year to you too, Skip.

[B]

Year the rabbit year. The rabbit, yes. Happy New Year. Happy Chinese New Year to everyone out there. So, Samantha, did you have a good holiday?

[C]

I did, thank you.

[B]

What did you get up to?

[C]

A lot of time at home, really, which is my happy place. That's usually where you can find me. We did some tiki touring around our local region and visited some beaches and went on some nice trail walks.

[B]

Sounds like life in New Plymouth is very relaxing and laid back.

[C]

It's not a rat race, that's for sure. And you, how was your New Year's holiday?

[B]

Well, it wasn't much of a holiday. I mean, I too was at home for eight days in a row, but I was spending several hours each of those days at my computer working on the down to Business English website redesign.

[C]

Wow. That's right. How did that go?

[B]

Well, it is still ongoing.

[C]

Are you not finished yet?

[B]

Well, the website was down for several days, but it's up, up and running now.

[C]

Well, that is good news. But that sounds like a big but.

[B]

It is. There's still a lot of work to do. The new design looks okay on a desktop or laptop computer, but there are still some kinks to work out on the mobile layout. Kinks?

[C]

What kind of kinks?

[B]

You know, I don't know what's causing it, but the images are not displaying properly and the typography or the way the text appears, it's all screwy.

[C]

That's not good. I'm guessing most people access the Internet on a mobile phone or tablet, not a desktop.

[B]

That's very true. So I have got some work to do for our listeners. I apologize for the condition of the website when you visit it. Try to use a computer. I will get the mobile site working as soon as I possibly can.

[C]

I'm sure you will. You're working very hard on it. I'm sure you'll figure it out.

[B]

I hope so.

[C]

So, website aside, what are we reporting on today in this very first D2B episode of 2023 good question.

[B]

Today on down to business English, I wanted to talk about a very exciting new piece of technology.

[C]

Doesn't take much to get you excited about technology, Skip. What would this new shiny object be?

[B]

Have you heard of ChatGPT?

[C]

ChatGPT? Yes, I have. As a matter of fact, some of my colleagues were telling me about it in the office the other day. It's some kind of AI or artificial intelligence chatbox.

[B]

That's precisely what it is.

[C]

Well, chatboxes have been around for years.

[D]

What's all the fuss over this one?

[B]

ChatGPT is not your run of the mill chatbox. It has experts both in the tech industry and beyond sitting up and taking notice. Many are calling it revolutionary and that it poses a serious threat to many tech giants, the likes of Google, a Google killer.

[C]

I certainly want to hear more about

[B]

this, so let's do it. Let's get D2B down to business with ChatGPT. What is this new AI technology? What is it capable of? And how could ChatGPT and AI in general be a game changer across a wide range of industries?

[C]

So ChatGPT sounds like a video game title. Kind of like the name of that game that my son and my husband, I have to admit, love playing GTA Grand Theft Auto.

[B]

It does sound similar, doesn't it? No, ChatGPT is definitely not a video game.

[D]

So what is it?

[C]

Explain it to me like I'm a five year old.

[B]

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbox application. GPT stands for generative Pre Trained Transformer.

[C]

Generative Pre Trained Transformer. I have no idea what that means.

[B]

Well, basically it is a computer program that has been given access to an incredibly large amount of data and then trained to generate human like text. You can ask it a question and it will be able to give you an answer. Or you could ask it to write something for you and it will do it.

[C]

For example?

[B]

Well, let's say you wanted to write a sales proposal to pitch to a potential client. You simply tell ChatGPT the features of your product that you want to highlight and ChatGPT will spit out a proposal in a few seconds.

[C]

And would it be any good?

[B]

You would have to revise it a bit. Yes, but it would be pretty good.

[C]

I can see how that would have a lot of potential in businesses.

[B]

I've played around with it a bit myself. And at the very least, ChatGPT is a major time saver for anyone who needs to write a lot of reports or marketing material or email. ChatGPT is going to be a very useful tool.

[C]

Who developed ChatGPT?

[B]

It was designed by an outfit by the name of OpenAI. Now, OpenAI was founded in 2015 as a non profit organization.

[C]

A non profit organization. That's a little surprising.

[B]

I was a little surprised to learn that too. In fact, it was a collaboration between some pretty heavy hitters from both the technology world and the venture capital world. OpenAI's intention or aim was to develop and promote friendly artificial intelligence in a way that would benefit everyone. And they would do this by collaborating with universities and researchers around the world, by making their AI patents open to the public.

[C]

So they were basically spearheading the development of artificial intelligence.

[B]

Very much so, I would say.

[C]

And who would be some of these heavy hitters?

[B]

You referred to names like Sam Altman, Peter Thiel, Amazon Web Services, Infosys, and Y Combinator Research.

[C]

I recognize a few of those names.

[B]

Well, one more name that needs to be added to that list, and this one everyone will recognize. Elon Musk.

[C]

Elon Musk. He has fingerprints on this.

[B]

Yes, he was indeed one of the original investors and board members, but he stepped down in 2018 because of what he called a possible future conflict of interest with Tesla AI.

[C]

That's right. Tesla is developing AI for self driving cars.

[B]

So stepping down from OpenAI would have been the right thing to do.

[C]

I'm glad to hear that OpenAI is a nonprofit and that they're not being motivated by pure profitability.

[B]

Well, they were originally a nonprofit, but not anymore. In 2019, they pivoted from being an NPO to a capped for profit organization.

[C]

Capped for profit? What does that mean?

[B]

It means that they are distributing shares to their employees and they have started raising capital to fund their research with the stipulation that any profit generated by their product would be capped or limited to 100 times the amount of the investment.

[C]

Ah, they would have the ability to raise money so they could develop their products and employees would benefit from any commercial application those products would have.

[B]

Precisely. And one of the very first investors was none other than Microsoft. They invested a billion dollars in OpenAI in the very same year 2019.

[C]

And here we are a few years later with ChatGPT being launched. When was it launched exactly?

[B]

In late November last year. And its adoption rate has been incredible. It only took five days for it to reach the 1 million user mark. It took Twitter two years to reach that mark, Facebook 10 months and Instagram three months.

[C]

I'm not sure if that is a fair comparison. They were kind of standing on their predecessors shoulders.

[B]

True. But regardless, it certainly is an indicator at how useful people are finding ChatGPT.

[C]

And why are experts saying that this is so revolutionary and that it is

[D]

a potential Google killer?

[B]

Well, just think about it. When you search for information on Google, you have to wade through all kinds of web pages, advertisements, sponsored links, maybe watch two or three YouTube videos to find the specific information you are looking for.

[C]

I know I've gone down many rabbit holes searching for something on the Internet.

[B]

Now imagine searching for that same information on ChatGPT. It will succinctly answer your query with no distractions. In the short time that I've been playing around with it, I would have to say that I am turning to ChatGPT over Google search more and more.

[C]

Really?

[B]

Really. And it's important to point out that this is just the first version of ChatGPT. It was only trained on data up until October of 2021. Its next version will more than likely be connected to the Internet in real time.

[C]

And that will be a serious threat to Google's search business.

[B]

The New York Times referred to it as a code red for Google, that ChatGPT could very well be the tech industry's next big, big disruptor.

[C]

And Google has been caught flat footed by this.

[B]

I wouldn't say flat footed. In fact, some of the technology that is at the heart of ChatGPT was developed by Google.

[C]

Oh well, why aren't they using it?

[B]

Simply because using an AI chatbox would cannibalize their revenue model of selling digital ads.

[C]

Ah, so it's not that they don't have the ability to use an AI chat box, it's just that they haven't figured out how to monetize it. Well, I'm sure that they're working hard at that.

[B]

I'm sure they are because it has been reported that their competition, Microsoft, will be incorporating ChatGPT into their Bing search engine later this year.

[C]

And if that happens, all bets are off in the Internet search business.

[B]

No doubt. To top it off, Microsoft is also considering investing an additional $10 billion in OpenAI. That would give them a lot of access to future AI technology the company develops.

[C]

What is your opinion of all of this, Skip? Do you think ChatGPT is going to

[B]

take Google down ChatGPT in the form it is now? No. But having said that, I do think we are on the cusp of a major development in the way tech is used in business and in our daily lives.

[C]

Would you go so far as saying it's going to be revolutionary?

[B]

Yes, absolutely. AI is going to completely revolutionize the way we work, the way we study, and the way we do things. And it is not some distant future world I'm talking about. It is happening right now and is going to unfold very quickly over the next few years.

[C]

So are we going to be Talking

[B]

more about ChatGPT, ChatGPT and artificial intelligence in general? Yes. I think it is going to become a major topic moving forward.

[C]

I'm not sure if I should be excited or terrified.

[B]

I know I am a little of both.

[C]

Well, on that note, why don't we get D2V down to vocabulary.

[A]

Do you find down to Business English useful in your English studies? Would you like to support the show? Consider becoming a D2B member today. Down to business English memberships come with three great benefits. First, D2B members receive bonus content in the form of exclusive members only episodes. Second, within moments of a new episode being released, an audio script is automatically emailed to you. There is no need for D2B members to go through the time consuming process of visiting the website, logging into their account, locating an episode, and then downloading the audio Script file. And third, D2B members have 100% access to the entire library of audio scripts all the way from season one Episode one right up to the most recently released episode. Interested in becoming a member? Just visit the down to Business English website and click on the membership link at the top of the page.

[D]

Today on down to Vocabulary, we are going to be taking a look at five words and expressions.

[B]

But there were many other useful words and phrases that we used in our conversation.

[D]

Many, many others. So be sure to head over to the down to Business English website and download yourself a copy of the audio script for today's episode.

[B]

Study it, check the other words and phrases we used in your dictionary and then listen to the episode again, following along with the audio script.

[D]

A great way to expand your range of active business vocabulary.

[B]

Shall I get things started?

[D]

Please do.

[B]

First up on our list is the idiom to work out a kink or to have kinks. To work out a kink is a bend or a twist in something that is usually straight, like a kink in

[D]

a water hose or a kink in a rope.

[B]

Idiomatically, you can use kink to refer to a small problem or issue that has come up in your plan.

[D]

So to work out a kink means to solve or straighten out a small problem.

[B]

Exactly. And that is how I used it. In the opening of today's show. I mentioned that I had some kinks to work out on the mobile version of the down to Business English website. In other words, there are some small problems with the website displaying on smartphones and tablets and I hope you work

[D]

out those kinks soon.

[B]

So do I. I had a kink

[D]

in my morning yesterday.

[B]

Oh, what was that?

[D]

My car wouldn't start.

[B]

Oh no. What was wrong?

[D]

A dead battery. Fortunately my partner was still at home so I could get a boost, but I ended up being about 30 minutes late for work. No biggie though.

[B]

Just a small kink.

[D]

Yes, just a small kink. The next word on the D2V list is the noun heavy hitter. This word comes from the world of baseball.

[B]

I believe that sounds about right.

[D]

In baseball, you a heavy hitter is a player who was able to hit the ball with a lot of power.

[B]

Think of Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, batters of that stature.

[D]

But you could also use this word to refer to anyone or anything that is considered to be powerful or influential. In the report, Skipt used this word to describe the people and companies who founded OpenAI. In other words, the original collaborators who got OpenAI started were very powerful or influential in the tech and venture capital industries.

[B]

In the semiconductor industry, some heavy hitters include companies such as Intel, Samsung, TSMC and Qualcomm.

[D]

Interesting example. What made you jump to the semiconductor industry?

[B]

I've been researching it for an upcoming D2B episode. It is such a critical part of the global economy and one that I think we all take for granted. True, you don't seem to be very impressed with my example. Do you have a different example using heavy hitter?

[D]

I was just thinking that having a heavy hitter on your team, someone who is highly skilled and experienced, can really make a difference in the success of a project.

[B]

Oh, I agree with that.

[D]

The success of any company is largely due to the heavy hitters they have spearheading projects.

[B]

Right? That is a very good example.

[D]

Thanks.

[B]

And it is a great transition to our next D2V word, the verb to spearhead. When you spearhead something, you take a leading role or you are the leader of a project or movement. In the report, Samantha commented that OpenAI was spearheading the development of artificial intelligence.

[D]

In other words, OpenAI is leading the movement to develop AI technology, especially by allowing the public to have access to their AI patents.

[B]

Precisely. Samantha, can you give us another example using spearhead in a business context?

[D]

Well, my previous example sentence that a company's success is due to the heavy hitters they have spearheading projects still stands. But another example that comes to mind would be how everyone automatically thinks of Tesla as spearheading the development of electric cars. Sure, but there are other automakers spearheading development. I would also say that Nissan and Chevrolet are heavy hitters in that market as well.

[B]

Another excellent example, and that one uses both spearhead and heavy hitter what's our next Word?

[D]

Next is the phrasal verb to wade through something. When you wade through something, you navigate or make progress through a complex situation. In the story, Skip commented that when you do a Google search for something, you have to wade through a lot of search results before you find the information you are looking for.

[B]

In other words, you have to navigate through a lot of websites before finding the answer to your question.

[D]

This expression gives the connotation that what you are doing is difficult or time consuming. Skip, can you give us an example using to wade through something?

[B]

I sure can. I am not looking forward to going into the office tomorrow. At the moment we are hiring new staff and I have a big stack of resumes to wade through. I will probably spend the better part of my morning reading through them trying to find the perfect candidate.

[D]

I'm sure you will manage.

[B]

I'll get through it, but I just wish my boss hadn't chosen me to spearhead the hiring process. Anyway, our next and our final word on D2V today is the expression to go down a rabbit hole.

[D]

A great phrase.

[B]

It comes from Lewis Carroll's classic book Alice in Wonderland.

[D]

Johnny Depp was great in the movie as the Mad Hatter he was.

[B]

Anyway, in the story, Alice follows a rabbit into a hole and finds herself in a crazy underground fantasy world.

[D]

And because Alice in Wonderland was such a popular novel, the phrase to go down the rabbit hole came to mean entering a strange or surreal situation.

[B]

And later on, the expression evolved to also describe going down deep into the research of a topic and getting lost or distracted by other information you encounter. So much so that you forget the original purpose of the research.

[D]

In our conversation, I mentioned that I have gone down many rabbit holes researching topics online.

[B]

In other words, Samantha has gotten lost by clicking on one link, getting distracted by that website, then clicking on another link, becoming interested in that YouTube video, and then clicking on yet another link. And so on.

[D]

That's exactly what happens. It is so easy to go down a rabbit hole on the Internet. You start searching for something at 9am and the next thing you know, it's lunchtime.

[A]

Would you like to support down to business English? Help D2B reach more people wanting to improve their Business English skills? Be sure to subscribe to down to Business English on Apple Podcasts or any place podcasts are found. While you are there, why don't you leave a rating and a review down to Business English Business News to improve your business English.

[B]

And that brings us to the end of our very first episode of down to business English for 2023. Thank you so much for joining me today Samantha and helping to get get the ball rolling on season 14 of D2B.

[D]

Not a problem in the least, Skip. Glad to help. I'm looking forward to our new season.

[B]

Me too.

[D]

Can you give us a preview about any upcoming episode topics?

[B]

Ah, great question. There are so many areas that I would like to cover this season. First off, DEZ will be back in China in February and he is going to spearhead business stories coming up in the news in that area of the world.

[D]

Cool some boots on the ground reporting

[B]

and we will continue to report on the heavy hitters in a wide variety of business fields. Of course AI and technology, but also finance, Logistics, aerospace, you name it. If it makes the business headlines, we will cover it.

[D]

And to all our D2B listeners, don't hesitate to send us an email if there is a topic you'd like us to report on.

[B]

Absolutely. We would love to hear your ideas.

[D]

Just visit the new down to Business English website and click on the contact link in the menu.

[B]

One other thing, I also plan to have more guests on the show and interview them about their business business expertise.

[D]

That will be very good, but I

[B]

have a few technical kinks to work out in my studio before I can start doing that.

[D]

Well, I look forward to that. It sounds like we have an exciting season coming up on down to Business English.

[B]

We do. Thanks for listening everyone. See you again very soon.

[D]

Take care.

[A]

Have a comment or question about today's show? Don't be shy. Visit the D2B website or Facebook page and post any comments or questions there. Skip Des or Samantha will be sure to leave a Reply down to Business English Business News to improve your Business English.