OpenAI has undoubtedly embarked on a journey to transform the world with the release of ChatGPT 3.5 last year, setting off an AI arms race that is already causing significant disruption to sectors such as education and employment.
Two recent books by technology journalists Karen Hao and Keach Hagey delve into the history of Open AI and its far-reaching impact worldwide, painting a complex picture of the company’s rise to power and its future ambitions.
Hao’s book, “Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI,” explores the idea of AI colonialism, in which large AI companies act like traditional empires by extracting wealth from the lower rungs of society to enrich those at the top.
Hagey’s book, “The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and the Race to Invent the Future,” focuses on Altman’s personal life and ambition, exploring his childhood and his aspirations to build an empire.