Key facts
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman believes the world should accept some negative outcomes from AI for its benefits.
- Altman stated that the good generated by AI will be orders of magnitude greater than the bad.
- He does not accept "the really catastrophic risks" of AI, including a serious loss of control.
- Altman views Anthropic's approach of restricting access to advanced AI as an unacceptable tradeoff.
- OpenAI has recently supported stricter AI safety requirements and regulations.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman articulated a worldview that accepts some negative consequences from artificial intelligence in exchange for its broader benefits, a stance that distinguishes his company from rivals like Anthropic. In an interview with Decoded by POLITICO, Altman stated that the world should "accept some bad things happening for the benefits of this technology and people having the agency."
Altman contrasted OpenAI's position with that of Anthropic, which he suggested favors a scenario where a single lab controls the most advanced AI to prevent misuse. He called such a trade-off "completely unacceptable," advocating instead for a "lighter touch regulatory stance" that OpenAI backs. He added that he does not accept "the really catastrophic risks," such as a "serious loss of control to AI."