The OpenAI Foundation is pouring cash into gathering lost biotech data, hoping to turbocharge medical AI systems. By tapping into the ‘lost archives’ of failed biotech companies, the goal is to fill the data void that’s currently stifling medical breakthroughs. But is this just a clever way to plunder corporate secrets?

Morgan Levine, a former AI exec, notes that data is the key bottleneck in applying AI to biology. The $40 million grant to the University of North Carolina and other initiatives suggest OpenAI’s commitment to bridging this gap. Yet, the foundation’s strategy of acquiring data from bankruptcies might spark debates on ethics and data ownership.

Meanwhile, the foundation’s foray into grantmaking might soon make it the world’s richest charity. But with such vast sums, the challenge lies in dispersing the funds effectively. As concerns over runaway AI grow, OpenAI’s efforts could be seen as both a boon and a potential risk.

Josh Morrison, president of 1Day Sooner, believes that acquiring common technical documents could be as simple as a few tens of thousands of dollars. But with such data, the AI could potentially become a regulatory expert, speeding up the cures to market. The question is, at what cost?