OpenAI CEO Sam Altman published a blog post Friday night responding to both the apparent attack on his home and the New Yorker’s detailed profile that raises questions about his credibility.
Someone allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at Altman’s San Francisco home early Friday morning. SF Police said no one was injured in the incident, and a suspect was later arrested at OpenAI headquarters and threatened to set the building on fire.
Police have not publicly identified the suspect, but Altman noted that the incident occurred days after “inflammatory articles” about him were published. He said someone suggested that the publication of the article “at a time of great anxiety about AI” could make things “even more dangerous” for him.
“I ignored it,” Altman said. “Now I wake up in the middle of the night angry and wondering if I underestimated the power of words and stories.”
The article in question was a long investigative piece written by Ronan Farrow (who won a Pulitzer Prize for reporting that uncovered many of the sexual abuse allegations surrounding Harvey Weinstein) and Andrew Marantz (who has written extensively about technology and politics).
Mr. Farrow and Mr. Marantz said in interviews with more than 100 people with knowledge of Mr. Altman’s business activities that most described Mr. Altman as a man with a “relentless drive for power and a man who stood out among the ranks of spaceship businessmen.”
Echoing the opinions of other journalists who have profiled Altman, Farrow, and Marantz, many sources have suggested that they question Altman’s credibility, with one anonymous board member saying that Altman combines “a strong desire to please and be liked in any interaction” with “an antisocial indifference to the consequences that may arise from deceiving someone.”
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In his response, Altman said that when he looks back, he sees “a lot of things I’m proud of and a lot of mistakes.”
He said some of the mistakes include a tendency to “avoid conflict,” which “has been a huge pain for me and OpenAI.”
“I’m not proud of how badly I handled the conflict with the previous board that wreaked havoc on the company,” Altman said, perhaps referring to his ousting as OpenAI’s CEO in 2023 and his rapid return. “I’ve made many other mistakes in OpenAI’s crazy trajectory. I’m a flawed human being at the center of a very complex situation, trying to get a little bit better every year, always working towards the mission.”
He added: “I’m sorry to the people I hurt and wish I had learned sooner.”
Altman also acknowledged that there seems to be “a lot of Shakespearean drama between companies in our field,” which he attributed to “the ‘circle of power’ dynamics that drive people to crazy behavior.”
Of course, the correct way to deal with a ring of power is to destroy it, so Altman added, “I don’t mean[artificial general intelligence]to be the ring itself, but rather the whole philosophy of ‘you control the AGI.'” His proposed solution “aims to share the technology widely with the public and make sure no one has the ring.”
Altman said he welcomes “honest criticism and discussion,” and concluded by reiterating his belief that “advances in technology can make the future incredibly better for your family and my family.”
“While there are such discussions, we should tone down our rhetoric and tactics and strive to create fewer outbursts in fewer homes, both figuratively and literally,” he said.
