OpenAI的1亿美元启动基金将与微软成为合作伙伴的"早期大赌注''

OpenAI’s $100M startup fund will make ‘big early bets’ with Microsoft as partner

Devin Coldewey@techcrunch / 1:22 AM GMT+8•May 27, 2021

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**Image Credits: **OpenAI

OpenAI正在启动一个规模为1亿美元的启动基金，称为OpenAI Startup Fund，通过该基金及其合作伙伴将投资于解决重大问题（和生产力）的早期AI公司。在该基金的那些合作伙伴和投资者中，有Microsoft。在OpenBuild的创始人大会上，OpenAI创始人Sam Altman宣布了这一消息。

在预先录制的视频中，奥特曼解释说：“这不是典型的企业风险投资基金。我们计划在数量相对较少的公司（可能不超过10家）上进行较大的早期赌注。”

OpenAI is launching a $100 million startup fund, which it calls the OpenAI Startup Fund, through which it and its partners will invest in early-stage AI companies tackling major problems (and productivity). Among those partners and investors in the fund is Microsoft, at whose Build conference OpenAI founder Sam Altman announced the news.

In a prerecorded video, Altman explained that “this is not a typical corporate venture fund. We plan to make big early bets on a relatively small number of companies, probably not more than 10.”

目前尚不清楚这笔1亿美元将如何分配或分配，或者在什么时间轴上，或者这是否是一个较长计划的一部分，目前还不清楚。但这似乎是一个有限的基金，而不仅仅是2021年的回合。

奥特曼确实表示，他们将寻找正在处理严重问题的公司，例如医疗保健，气候变化和教育，在这些公司中，基于AI的应用程序或方法可能会“造福全人类”，以符合OpenAI的使命宣言。但是它也将考虑提高生产率，大概就像微软昨天展示的基于GPT-3的自然语言编码一样。

It’s not clear exactly how the $100 million will be divided or disbursed, or on what timeline, or whether this is part of a longer program. But it seems to be a limited fund, not just the 2021 round.

Altman did say that they will be looking for companies that are taking on serious issues, like healthcare, climate change and education, where AI-powered applications or approaches could “benefit all of humanity,” in keeping with OpenAI’s mission statement. But it would also consider productivity improvements as well, presumably like the GPT-3-powered natural language coding Microsoft showed off yesterday.

微软首席技术官凯文·斯科特（Kevin Scott）表示：“开发人员知道您是谁，他们可以使用GPT-3这样的强大工具来创建雄心勃勃的应用程序，这些应用程序将在世界上留下积极的印记。” “微软很高兴能够支持该基金。”

被选中资助的公司将可以从Microsoft处获得对新的OpenAI系统和Azure资源的早期访问权，这有望使它们得以完全组建并准备从该计划进行扩展。OpenAI不会详细说明股权协议，对初创公司，其他合作伙伴的期望或任何其他详细信息。1亿美元的数字完全有可能是他们真正解决的唯一问题。

最低限度的申请流程表明他们希望提交大量申请，但是如果您想让公司参与其中，请开始准备电梯音调。该应用程序的一部分是一分钟的视频（请注意，“不需要演示，音乐和效果”），选拔团队（OpenAI并未详细说明其构成）将毫​​无疑问地观看公司是否通过第一轮风选。希望您还没有拆除Zoom背景。
“We know it’s you, the developers, who can use powerful tools like GPT-3 to create ambitious applications that will leave a positive mark on the world,” said Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott in the company’s stream. “Microsoft is thrilled to be able to support this fund.”

Companies selected for funding will receive early access to new OpenAI systems and Azure resources from Microsoft, which hopefully would allow them to spring fully formed and ready to scale from the program. OpenAI would not elaborate on the equity agreement, expectations for startups, other partners or any further details. It’s entirely possible that the $100 million figure is the only thing they’ve actually settled on.

The minimal application process suggests they expect a large number of submissions, but if you want to throw your company into the mix, start prepping your elevator pitch. Part of the application is a one-minute video (take note that “demos, music and effects are not necessary”) that the selection team (the makeup of which OpenAI did not detail) will no doubt watch if a company makes it through the first round of winnowing. Hope you haven’t dismantled that Zoom background just yet.