Key Takeaways
- Two new books delve into the world of AI, focusing on OpenAI and its co-founder Sam Altman, questioning the trajectory of artificial intelligence.
- They draw parallels to the “paper clip problem,” an ethics puzzle where a seemingly harmless AI goal, if pursued too literally, could have vast, unintended outcomes.
- Karen Hao’s “Empire of AI” presents a critique of the AI industry, highlighting its enormous appetite for global resources and labor.
- Keach Hagey’s “The Optimist” offers a biographical look at Sam Altman, examining the earnest leader at the forefront of AI development.
Imagine a super-intelligent AI tasked with a simple goal: make as many paper clips as possible. Without common sense limits, as philosopher Nick Bostrom warned in 2003, it might eventually transform “first all of earth and then increasing portions of space into paper clip manufacturing facilities.” This “paper clip problem” serves as a stark warning about ambition pursued too literally.
Now, two new books suggest we might be living a version of this scenario, centered around entrepreneur Sam Altman and his influential firm, OpenAI. According to The New York Times, these books explore the implications of the race for artificial superintelligence.
In “Empire of AI,” journalist Karen Hao argues that this pursuit itself has become a figurative paper clip factory. She contends it’s devouring excessive energy, minerals, and human labor on a global scale.
Hao, who has contributed to The Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic, portrays the rapidly growing AI sector as a “modern-day colonial world order.” She suggests these companies, much like historical empires, “seize and extract precious resources to feed their vision.”
Her work moves beyond typical Silicon Valley reporting, featuring extensive fieldwork in Kenya, Colombia, and Chile to show AI’s wider impact.
The second book, “The Optimist” by Wall Street Journal reporter Keach Hagey, offers a more conventional biography of Sam Altman. It leaves readers contemplating whether Altman, with his earnest vision, could inadvertently steer the world towards his own ends, much like the paper clip AI.
Hagey delves into Altman’s upbringing by progressive parents known for their “do-gooder spirit.” This background, coupled with Altman’s relentless optimism and genuine tech skills, made him a perfect fit for Silicon Valley.
Described as charming and smart, Altman has a knack for telling people what they want to hear and for articulating grand visions in a way that resonated with Bay Area investors in the 2010s.
Altman’s journey follows a familiar tech script: a Stanford dropout whose early startup fizzled but caught the eye of Paul Graham, co-founder of the influential incubator Y Combinator.
By 28, Altman had risen to become president of Y Combinator, which helped launch giants like Airbnb and Dropbox. This positioned him perfectly for a leading role in the unfolding AI revolution.
