I think OpenAI's limitations are quickly verifiable results. 10,000 agents running in parallel aren't exactly talking to each other. They have a goal and one eventually hits the goal which can be automatically confirmed. This is why math is currently attacked, lean is easy to confirm A = B.

They aren't gonna create room temperature superconductors because they'll need a lab that can quickly, and verifiably, test superconductors at 10,000 per minute and that's just a physical limitation no matter how many datacenters you throw at it.

Why would that necessarily be accessible by thinking only? Or do you see them running or directing large laboratories of various types?

If they did that and were able to find someone to pay them, that'd be a pretty good contribution, no?