2022 Altman Email: Open-Sourcing Small Models to Crush Competitors
Simon Willison · rss · 2026-07-20
Simon Willison cites an October 2022 internal OpenAI email revealed during the Musk v. Altman lawsuit (2026).
In the email, Sam Altman discusses open-source strategy with the board, stating OpenAI plans to swiftly release a model with GPT-3-like capabilities that runs locally on consumer hardware.
Altman admits the strategic defensive purpose: acting before companies like Stability AI to deter others from releasing similar models and making it harder for new competitors to secure funding. This reveals how top AI firms weaponize open source for commercial competition.
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