OpenAI plans a fully autonomous AI researcher by 2028, transforming science, while becoming a public benefit corporation with Microsoft partnership.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has disclosed the company’s next major goal: to create a fully autonomous AI researcher by 2028, which will accelerate scientific discoveries and bring us closer to the era of superintelligence.

“For the long-term quality of life and improvement and change in society, AI that can autonomously discover new science or help people discover new science faster will be, I think, one of the most important things and something that we’re really trying to wrap our heads around,” Altman said during the event, which was streamed live.

According to OpenAI, the first milestone in this trip will be reached in September 2026, when it plans to produce an internal AI research assistant capable of managing complex tasks and supporting researchers. Two years later, in 2028, the business intends to transform that system into a completely autonomous researcher.

Jakub Pachocki, OpenAI’s Chief Scientist, stated during the same session that “deep learning systems are less than a decade away from superintelligence.”

The business believes that such an AI helper might transform research in sectors such as science, technology, and medicine by independently tackling complicated challenges and discovering new discoveries.

OpenAI has completed its transition to a public benefit corporation.

The news coincides with another significant update: OpenAI has formally moved from a non-profit organization to a public benefit company (PBC). The change is likely to increase the company’s ability to acquire funds while retaining its long-term goal of guaranteeing that artificial general intelligence helps humanity.

The old non-profit arm will retain around $130 billion in stock under the new arrangement. Notably, Sam Altman will not have a stake in the public benefit corporation.

Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest sponsor, will own nearly 27% of the PBC, or over $135 billion. Under the updated deal, Microsoft will have access to OpenAI’s AI models until 2032, even if independent experts determine that OpenAI has achieved AGI. Previously, access was restricted to either 2030 or the instant AGI was attained, whichever occurred first.

The corporations have also changed their cloud partnership conditions. OpenAI has committed to buy $250 billion in Microsoft Azure services, but Microsoft will no longer have the right of first refusal to be its exclusive compute partner.

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A revenue-sharing arrangement will stay in force until a panel of experts confirms that OpenAI has attained AGI. According to Bloomberg, Microsoft will receive 20% of OpenAI’s revenue through this partnership.

The restructure aims to make it easier for OpenAI to acquire finance, which was previously hindered by its hybrid structure. With competitors like Google, Meta, and Anthropic making quick progress, OpenAI’s new business structure might enable it gain access to the funding and processing capacity required to participate in the global race for superintelligence.