Sam Altman’s Trust Issues at OpenAI
4/10/202650 min
At the end of February, OpenAI’s C.E.O., Sam Altman, made headlines by swiftly cutting a deal with the Pentagon for his company to replace Anthropic, which had balked at the Trump Administration’s bid to use its A.I. technology to power autonomous weapons and aid in mass surveillance. Days earlier, Altman had publicly supported Anthropic’s position in the dispute. Altman’s rise to power and his founding of OpenAI were predicated on placing safety above other concerns in developing artificial general intelligence. Why did he change his stance on such a fundamental issue? The New Yorker writers Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz spoke with Altman multiple times and interviewed more than a hundred people for their investigation into the leader of one of the most powerful companies in the world, comparing Altman to J. Robert Oppenheimer. Although there is no smoking gun in Altman’s hand, the writers find that persistent allegations about his conduct underscore the danger of entrusting him to wield such vast power over the future.
Further reading:
- "Sam Altman May Control Our Future—Can He Be Trusted?,” by Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz
- “The Dangerous Paradox of A.I. Abundance,” by John Cassidy
- “The A.I. Bubble Is Coming for Your Browser,” by Kyle Chayka
New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians.
Clips
Showing 10 of 11Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 00:00
WNYC Studios is supported by Total Wine & More. Spring weekends are all about family, sunshine, and enjoying the season together. Before everyone arrives, stop by your local Total Wine & More to grab a great bottle. Maybe a favorite you already know and love, or something new to try with the meal. With so many bottles to choose from, it's easy to discover something amazing, and the lowest prices make it easy to grab an extra bottle for everyone. If you're not sure what to pick, their friendly guides can help point you in the right direction. Find what you love and love what you find, only at Total Wine & More. Curbside pickup and delivery available in most areas. Visit totalwine.com to learn more. Spirits not sold in Virginia and North Carolina. Drink responsibly. Must be twenty-one.
Speaker 10:43
Your SoCal Honda dealers are honored to help our community. When we learned about a local firefighter in need, we were proud to come to the rescue.
Ronan Farrow· Guest0:50
Last year, it was my family standing in that smoke when the Eaton fire took our home and car. The helpful SoCal Honda dealer showed up with a brand-new vehicle for me and my wife.
Speaker 10:58
We helped a firefighter with a new Honda, and we can help you too during the Honda Spring Event. Get zero point nine nine percent APR on a twenty twenty-six Prologue at your SoCal Honda dealers. See dealer for financing details. Financing on credit approval offer ends four thirty twenty-six.
Speaker 01:13
[upbeat music] This is The New Yorker Radio Hour, a co-production of WNYC Studios and The New Yorker.
David Remnick· Host1:21
Welcome to The New Yorker Radio Hour. I'm David Remnick. [upbeat music] Just a few months ago, Andrew Ross Sorkin,