Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the key figures supporting OpenAI's research, particularly Mark Chen and Jakub Pachocki, who are pivotal in the company's core research efforts as it approaches the release of GPT-5 [1][5]. Group 1: Key Figures - Mark Chen, the Chief Research Officer, has played a significant role in developing DALL-E and contributing to GPT-3 and GPT-4, including adding image recognition capabilities to GPT-4 [12][19]. - Jakub Pachocki, the new Chief Scientist, succeeded Ilya and has been recognized as one of the most outstanding minds of his generation, overseeing projects like GPT-4 [4][22]. - Both Chen and Pachocki are in their 30s, have competitive programming backgrounds, and have been integral to OpenAI's major projects, including the GPT series [9][29]. Group 2: Research Dynamics - Chen is responsible for building and managing the research team, while Pachocki sets the research roadmap and long-term technical vision, indicating a collaborative and flexible working relationship [5][30]. - Their shared experience in competitive programming influences OpenAI's strategy to engage in international coding competitions, which they believe is crucial for advancing their models [30][34]. - OpenAI recently achieved notable success in global programming competitions, highlighting their commitment to pushing the boundaries of AI capabilities [32]. Group 3: Strategic Focus - OpenAI is transitioning from a pure research lab to a company that balances research with product development, focusing on practical applications of AGI [39][42]. - The dissolution of the Super Alignment team after Ilya's departure reflects a shift in focus towards aligning existing models with expected outcomes rather than hypothetical superintelligence [41]. - Chen and Pachocki emphasize the importance of addressing current model limitations and enhancing their practical utility, contrasting with Ilya's vision of AGI as a transformative milestone [39][41].