Examining Altman’s statements over the years reveals how much his vision has driven today’s AI boom. Even among many of Silicon Valley’s most extreme enthusiasts, he has been particularly willing to speak about open questions—whether larger language models include elements of human thought, whether language can even produce intelligence—as if they had already been answered.
What he says about AI is rarely proven, but it does reassure us of one thing: the path we are on with AI can either be great or terrible, and OpenAI will need epic sums of money to lead it toward the right destination. In this sense, he is the ultimate preacher.
To understand how his voice has shaped our understanding of what AI can do, we read almost everything he said about the technology (we requested an interview with Altman, but it was not provided).
His own words reveal how we got here.
in conclusion …
Altman did not deceive the world. OpenAI has sparked a true technological revolution, with increasingly influential language models that have attracted millions of users. Even skeptics will admit that LLM’s ability to negotiate is astonishing.
But Altman’s campaign philosophy has always been less dependent on the capabilities of today than yesterday—an approach that doubles quite easily as a case for more capital and friendlier regulation. Long before large language models existed, he was envisioning a powerful AI that would require redistribution of wealth, just as he envisioned humanity colonizing other planets. Over and over again, the promises of a destination – abundance, superintelligence, a healthy and prosperous world – have come first, and the evidence second.
Even if LLM ultimately fails, there is no reason to think that their faith in the techno-utopian future will waver. Anyway this approach was never really about the details of the current model.
