Releasing an open, GPT-3-level language model that runs locally on consumer hardware—before Stability AI or others do—would discourage competitors from releasing similarly powerful models and make it harder for new AI efforts to get funded.
In an October 2022 email to OpenAI's board, Sam Altman proposed racing to release an open, locally-runnable GPT-3-caliber model ahead of Stability AI, arguing the move would deter rivals from releasing comparable models and choke off funding for competing efforts. ✦ AI generated
one thing we’d like to do soon is to create a language model with the approximate capability of GPT-3 that can run locally on consumer hardware and release that. We’d like to do it soon, before Stability or someone else does. In general, we think this helps discourage others from releasing similarly-powerful models, and makes it harder for new efforts to get funded.