Microsoft has invested AU$14 billion in OpenAI, the company behind Chat GPT, the AI language processing tool taking the internet by storm.
At the same time, Chat GPT users are reporting seeing a new pro version being offered.
Microsoft had previously invested in OpenIA in 2019 and 2021 and this new investment will bring the companies even closer together.
Microsoft said in a release that it will increase investments in the development and deployment of supercomputers to help Open AI with its AI research.
The software giant will deploy OpenAI’s models across its consumer and enterprise products and introduce new “categories of digital experience” build with Open AI’s tech.
Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform will also serve as OpenAI’s exclusive cloud provider.
“We formed our partnership with OpenAI around a shared ambition to responsibly advance cutting-edge AI research and democratize AI as a new technology platform,” said Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s chairman and CEO.
“In this next phase of our partnership, developers and organizations across industries will have access to the best AI infrastructure, models, and toolchain with Azure to build and run their applications.”
“The past three years of our partnership have been great,” said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. “Microsoft shares our values and we are excited to continue our independent research and work toward creating advanced AI that benefits everyone.”
However, the news comes at an awkward time for Microsoft. Less than a week ago, the company announced it would be laying off 10,000 employees.
Nadella told the World Economic Forum in Davos that, “No one can defy gravity and gravity here is inflation-adjusted economic growth.” Microsoft did, however, have the funds to “invest in strategic areas” for “its future.”
At the same, Chat GPT users are reportedly seeing a “Professional” version costing around $60 per month. This improved version apparently includes no blackout windows, meaning that it is always available. It also offers faster responses from ChatGPT and lets you send as many messages as you want up to at least twice the regular daily limit.
