OpenAI

OpenAI transformed from an idealistic research lab into one of the most influential AI companies in the world. 

Founded in 2015 with a mission to ensure artificial intelligence benefits humanity, the company initially operated as a non-profit before transitioning to a "capped-profit" model to fund its ambitious research.

CEO Sam Altman has been instrumental in this transformation, steering the company through controversial pivots including the shift away from pure non-profit status and navigating complex partnerships with tech giants like Microsoft. His leadership style and public advocacy for AI safety regulation have made him one of the most recognizable faces in artificial intelligence, though his approach has also drawn criticism from those who argue OpenAI has strayed from its original ideals.

The GPT series put OpenAI on the map. GPT-1 proved transformers could work for language. GPT-2 was so impressive they initially hesitated to release it. GPT-3 caught the world's attention with its versatility. 

OpenAI's ChatGPT made AI accessible to millions of everyday users. ChatGPT became the fastest-growing consumer application in history; it reached 100 million monthly active users just two months after its launch.

Beyond language models, OpenAI has developed DALL-E for image generation and other specialized tools. Their partnership with Microsoft provides the computational power needed for training increasingly sophisticated models.