Part 6/9:
Stuart Russell, a leading voice in AI safety, has characterized this ongoing race as akin to “running towards the edge of a cliff.” The urgency to outperform rivals could easily lead to a scenario where AGI surpasses human intelligence before safety mechanisms are put in place.
A House Divided: The Internal Struggles at OpenAI
Adding to these concerns are the power struggles within OpenAI itself. In November 2023, Altman was mysteriously fired, allegedly due to conflicting views on the aggressive pursuit of AGI. The subsequent crisis led to mass employee unrest and investor anxiety, ultimately resulting in Altman’s reinstatement within just five days, during which he emerged with even greater authority.