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cover of episode Karen Hao's new book is a skeptical look at Sam Altman and Elon Musk's AI empire

Karen Hao's new book is a skeptical look at Sam Altman and Elon Musk's AI empire

2025/5/26
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NPR's Book of the Day
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Andrew Limbaugh
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Karen Hao
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Steve Inskeep
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Karen Hao: 作为一名记者，我最初报道OpenAI时，它承诺以符合伦理的方式开发人工智能，并为全人类的利益开源研究。然而，我发现OpenAI非常保密，这与其非营利和公共利益的初衷相悖。此外，OpenAI对成为AI领域的领导者有强烈的竞争意识，这与其开放的初衷存在内在矛盾。OpenAI的矛盾之处源于Elon Musk和Sam Altman之间的分歧，他们都认为自己应该控制AI的发展，但对于谁应该拥有最终权力存在分歧。在AI发展中，公司可以不受限制地获取数据、土地、能源和水资源，而公众没有民主参与。AI的发展正在重现旧时代帝国的运作模式，少数人掌握决策权，多数人缺乏自主权。AI技术正在加剧劳动力剥削，并侵占资源以巩固其帝国。如果我们继续沿着这条路走下去，民主将无法在任何地方生存。 Steve Inskeep: OpenAI最初的目标是以符合伦理的方式开发人工智能，并开源研究成果。OpenAI在追求盈利的过程中，逐渐背离了最初的非营利理念。微软相信Sam Altman，并表示如果OpenAI解雇他，微软将聘用他。AI技术对电力的需求巨大。

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter explores the early days of OpenAI, highlighting the contradictions between its non-profit mission and its competitive drive. It examines the clash between founders Sam Altman and Elon Musk, their differing visions for the company, and the ethical dilemmas inherent in the pursuit of artificial general intelligence.
  • OpenAI's founding as a non-profit with a public benefit mission.
  • Secrecy and competitiveness within OpenAI.
  • Clash between Sam Altman and Elon Musk over leadership and direction.
  • Ideological clash underpinning AI development: utopia vs. destruction.

Shownotes Transcript

OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit meant to conduct artificial intelligence research that would benefit the general public. In the company's early days, reporter Karen Hao arranged to spend time in OpenAI's offices and noticed the culture there was incredibly secretive. That secrecy raised questions for Hao that ultimately resulted in her new book, Empire of AI. The book is an intimate look at the company behind ChatGPT, but also at the industry-wide race to control AI. In today's episode, she speaks with NPR's Steve Inskeep about early disagreements between founders Sam Altman and Elon Musk, Altman's talents for fundraising and storytelling, and how the AI race is reproducing elements of colonial empire.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices)NPR Privacy Policy)