ChatGPT launched three years ago today (techcrunch.com)

On November 30, 2022 OpenAI quietly released “a model called ChatGPT which interacts in a conversational way.” In the three years since, that conversational generative model has become a cultural and commercial pivot: it popularized large-language-model interfaces, sparked a flood of generative-AI products, and reshaped how businesses, media and institutions think about automation, content and human-computer interaction. Commentators cite broader societal effects—from new workplace precarity for younger workers to geopolitical shifts in influence—and argue the technology is still evolving rather than “finished,” meaning its downstream impacts are ongoing and unpredictable. That influence is equally visible in markets. Nvidia’s stock surged roughly 979% since the launch, and the seven biggest tech-linked companies (Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Broadcom) have driven nearly half of the S&P 500’s 64% gain, now representing about 35% of the index versus ~20% three years ago—making the market more top-heavy. At the same time, industry leaders including OpenAI’s Sam Altman and others warn of a possible AI “bubble,” even as many investors and founders bet on long-term transformative value. The next few years will determine whether today’s AI boom yields durable economic change or a painful market correction.