The CEO of OpenAI wants to know whether the US and allied nations will advance a democratic future – or an authoritarian one. “There is no third option,” he says.
Key Takeaways
- Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has penned an open letter in The Washington Post, prompting organisations and nations to consider: ‘Who will control the future of AI?’
- Altman says authoritarian regimes like Russia or the People’s Republic of China would keep a “close hold” on AI’s scientifc, health, educational and societal benefits to “cement their own power”.
- The chief executive has suggested a “US-led global coalition of like-minded countries” and an innovation strategy, to ensure the future of AI remains democratic.
What Altman wants
Altman says the US public and technology sectors need to get four big things right to fulfil a democratic vision for AI:
- Craft robust security measures to ensure it maintains the lead in the AI race.
- Build “significantly larger quantities” of the physical infrastructure, like data centers and power plants, to run AI systems.
- Develop a “commercial diplomacy policy” for AI, including clarity around how the United States intends to implement export controls and foreign investment rules.
- Develop new models for the world to establish norms in developing and deploying AI, with a particular focus on safety.
Crucial quote
“The United States currently has a lead in AI development, but continued leadership is far from guaranteed. Authoritarian governments the world over are willing to spend enormous amounts of money to catch up and ultimately overtake us,” Altman says. “If they manage to take the lead on AI, they will force U.S. companies and those of other nations to share user data, leveraging the technology to develop new ways of spying on their own citizens or creating next-generation cyberweapons to use against other countries.”
Forbes valuation
Altman’s worth about US$1 billion, largely due to his investments in companies like Stripe, Reddit and nuclear fusion firm, Helion – not from his role at OpenAI, in which he has no equity. His cash for venture investments stems from social mapping company Loopt, which he founded and later sold in 2012 for US$43 million.
Tangent
Earlier this month, Microsoft, which had reportedly invested about US$13 billion into OpenAI, gave up its seat on the company’s board, amid increasing scrutiny from antitrust regulators.
Microsoft nabbed the board seat when Altman was fired from his role as CEO – and reinstated days later. The board members behind the ousting were pushed out.
“Over the past eight months we have witnessed significant progress by the newly formed board and are confident in the company’s direction,” Microsoft said in its letter on July 10. “Given all of this, we no longer believe our limited role as an observer is necessary.”
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