Sam Altman's Stark Warning: AI Threatens Our Existence, Yet Urges Global Adoption

Sam Altman believes that the technology behind his company's flagship product has the potential to result in the downfall of humanity. In May, the CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, made a compelling appeal to lawmakers during a Senate subcommittee hearing in Washington, DC. He urged them to establish well-considered regulations that harness the immense potential of artificial intelligence while also ensuring that it does not overpower humanity. This was a significant moment not only for Altman but also for the future of AI.

With the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT in late 2020, Altman, 38, quickly gained attention as the face of a new generation of AI tools capable of generating images and texts based on user prompts. This technology, known as generative AI, has rapidly become synonymous with ChatGPT itself. Its impact has been widespread, with CEOs using it to compose emails, individuals creating websites without coding knowledge, and even passing exams in law and business schools. The potential for revolutionizing numerous industries, such as education, finance, agriculture, healthcare, including surgeries and vaccine development, is immense.

However, these very same tools have raised concerns regarding issues such as academic cheating and the displacement of human workers, and have even sparked fears of an existential threat to humanity. The economic implications of AI have led experts to warn of a significant transformation in the job market. According to estimates from Goldman Sachs, up to 300 million full-time jobs worldwide could eventually be automated to some extent by generative AI. In fact, an April report by the World Economic Forum suggests that as many as 14 million positions could disappear within the next five years alone.

In his testimony before Congress, Altman said the potential for AI to be used to manipulate voters and target disinformation were among "my areas of greatest concern."

On May 16, OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman addressed the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law hearing on artificial intelligence at Capitol Hill in Washington.

Two weeks after the hearing, Altman joined hundreds of top AI scientists, researchers, and business leaders in signing a concise letter. The letter emphasized the urgent need to prioritize global efforts in mitigating the risks associated with AI, which should be considered as significant as other societal-scale dangers like pandemics and nuclear war. This alarming statement attracted extensive media coverage, leading some to underscore the necessity of addressing these apocalyptic scenarios with greater seriousness. The incident also shed light on a crucial paradox within Silicon Valley: Despite acknowledging the potential threat of AI leading to human extinction, executives of major tech companies are simultaneously investing heavily in and swiftly deploying this technology in products that impact billions of individuals.

Kevin Bacon of Silicon Valley

Amidst the fervor surrounding the AI revolution, Altman, an established entrepreneur and prominent figure in Silicon Valley investing, had managed to evade public attention for quite some time. However, in recent months, all eyes have turned towards him, making him the face of this groundbreaking transformation. Consequently, this newfound prominence has not only subjected him to legal action and regulatory scrutiny but has also earned him both accolades and criticism from around the globe.

That day in front of the Senate subcommittee, however, Altman described the technologys current boom as a pivotal moment.

ChatGPT's website displayed on a laptop screen in Milan, Italy, in February.

Mairo Cinquetti/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

Altman has consistently demonstrated awareness of AI's potential risks and has committed to advancing responsibly. He joins other tech CEOs in engaging with White House officials, such as Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden, to underscore the significance of ethical and responsible AI advancements.

Others are urging Altman and OpenAI to proceed with caution. Elon Musk, one of the co-founders of OpenAI who later parted ways, along with numerous tech leaders, professors, and researchers, have called for a halt in training the most advanced AI systems for a minimum of six months. This request is based on concerns about the significant risks to society and humanity. However, some experts have questioned whether those who signed the letter are primarily motivated by maintaining their competitive advantage over other companies.

Altman acknowledges his agreement with certain aspects of the letter, particularly the need to enhance safety measures. However, he believes that pausing the training would not be the most effective way to address these challenges.

Still, OpenAI continues to push forward at full speed. According to reports, OpenAI is currently in discussions with Jony Ive, the renowned iPhone designer, to secure $1 billion from Japanese conglomerate SoftBank. The purpose of this funding is to develop an AI device that will serve as a smartphone replacement.

On June 9, a fireside chat organized by Softbank Ventures Asia in Seoul, South Korea, featured Kyunghyun Cho, professor of computer science and data science at New York University, alongside JP Lee, chief executive officer of Softbank Ventures Asia, Greg Brockman, president and co-founder of OpenAI, and Sam Altman, chief executive officer of OpenAI.

Those familiar with Altman have described him as a person with a knack for making accurate predictions and have even referred to him as the "startup Yoda" or the "Kevin Bacon of Silicon Valley" due to his extensive network in the industry. Aaron Levie, the CEO of enterprise cloud company Box and a close friend of Altman who has collaborated with him in the startup world, told CNN that Altman is introspective and values intellectual discussions, seeking diverse perspectives and actively seeking feedback for his ongoing projects.

However, Bern Elliot, a Gartner Research analyst, cautioned against the familiar saying that putting all your eggs in one basket can be risky, regardless of how much trust you have in it.

He further emphasized that various unforeseen events can occur when relying solely on one basket.

Challenges ahead

In 2015, Altman expressed his desire to shape the course of AI rather than passively ignoring potential risks. He emphasized the importance of having influence in this field, stating, "Knowing that I can exert some control over it gives me peace of mind."

Altman, despite being in a leadership position, expressed his ongoing worries about the technology. In a profile in the New Yorker in 2016, he mentioned various potential disaster scenarios, such as an attack from artificial intelligence. Altman stated, "To ensure my survival, I make necessary preparations." He revealed that he possesses firearms, gold, potassium iodide, antibiotics, batteries, water, gas masks from the Israeli Defense Force, and even owns a substantial piece of land in Big Sur where he can retreat to if needed.

Some experts in the AI industry argue that while apocalyptic scenarios are often discussed, they may divert attention from the immediate negative impacts that powerful AI tools can have on individuals and communities. Rowan Curan, an analyst at Forrester, acknowledges the importance of addressing concerns regarding biased training data, especially for large-scale models, and emphasizes the need to understand and mitigate such biases.

According to Curan, considering the idea of an AI apocalypse as a genuine and imminent threat to humanity is nothing more than speculative techno-mythology. He believes that by excessively focusing on this narrative, we overlook the pressing challenges we currently face in preventing unjust use of data and models by human agents, which contributes to both present and future harms.

President Biden introduced an executive order this week, marking a significant and extensive initiative. This order mandates that developers of advanced AI systems must disclose the outcomes of their safety assessments to the federal government before making them available to the public, provided they present potential risks to national security, economy, or health.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addresses a speech during a meeting at Station F in Paris on May 26.

Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images

Emily Bender, a professor at the University of Washington and director of its Computational Linguistics Laboratory, raised concerns about the potential future impact of AI, even with heavy regulation. "If those in power genuinely believe that AI could lead to human extinction, why not consider stopping its development altogether?" she questioned.

Margaret OMara, a tech historian and professor at the University of Washington, emphasized the need for well-informed policymaking that considers a variety of perspectives and interests, rather than relying on the input of a few individuals. She emphasized the importance of shaping policy with the public interest as the primary focus.

OMara highlighted the difficulty with AI, emphasizing the limited understanding and awareness of its workings and potential consequences among individuals and organizations. Drawing a parallel to the development of the atomic bomb during the Manhattan Project, he acknowledged the scarcity of comprehension similar to that observed in the realm of nuclear physics at that time.

Nevertheless, OMara expressed optimism that Altman enjoys widespread support within the tech industry as a figure who could lead the way in revolutionizing society through the safe implementation of AI.

The world is relying on Altman to act in the best interest of humanity when dealing with a technology that he himself acknowledges has the potential to become a weapon of mass destruction. Despite being a capable and intelligent leader, it is important to remember that he is just one individual.