OpenAI CEO Sam Altman delivered a striking metaphor during a recent appearance on Theo Von's "This Past Weekend" podcast, comparing the creation of advanced artificial intelligence systems to the development of the atomic bomb.
Altman acknowledged that the future of AI is far too complex for anyone to map out with certainty, even as its potential impact rivals the most groundbreaking inventions in history. "I think no one can predict the future. Human society is very complex. This is an amazing new technology. Maybe a less dramatic example than the atomic bomb is when they discovered the transistor a few years later," he said.
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OpenAI CEO Draws Chilling Parallel to Manhattan Project
Altman explained that researchers at OpenAI occasionally feel the same moral weight as scientists who witnessed the first nuclear weapon test in 1945. "There are these moments in the history of science where you have a group of scientists look at their creation and just say, you know, what have we done?" he said on the podcast.
Altman also discussed the growing competition in AI development. "I think there is a race to get somewhere, but people don't agree on where it's to," he said, adding that he does not have a clear finish line for what AI success ultimately means.
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Sam Altman Warns Social Media May Be More Harmful Than AI
Altman said he believes social media poses a greater danger to children than artificial intelligence. He described short‑form video platforms as addictive, saying, "I think this scrolling, the kind of like, you know, short video feed dopamine hit, it feels like it's probably messing with kids' brain development in a super deep way."
While older adults may find it difficult to adapt to an AI‑driven economy, Altman believes younger generations will adjust naturally to new technologies. He argued that historically, children who grow up with new tools always find ways to use them effectively, while older adults may struggle to learn radically different skills.
"If you look at the history of the world here, when there's a new technology, like people that grow up with it, they're always fluent," he said. "They always figure out what to do. They always learn the new kind of jobs. But if you're a 50-year-old and you have to kind of learn to do things in a very different way, that doesn't always work. So, I think the kids are gonna be fine."
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Concerns About AI Companions and Unpredictable Outcomes
Altman also warned about potential downsides of "AI companions" that could replace human relationships. "I don't think we know quite the ways in which it's going to have those negative impacts, but I feel for sure it's gonna have some and… I hope we can learn to mitigate it quickly," he said.
Despite the risks, Altman said predicting the future impact of AI is nearly impossible. He compared the uncertainty to how people in 1900 could not imagine life in 2000, saying the unpredictability is part of what makes innovation both thrilling and unsettling.
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