OpenAI CEO Sam Altman issued a blog post on Friday evening, responding to both a reported attack on his home and a detailed New Yorker profile that raised doubts about his reliability.
Early Friday morning, an individual allegedly launched a Molotov cocktail at Altman’s San Francisco residence. No injuries were reported, and a suspect was later arrested at OpenAI headquarters, where he was allegedly threatening to set the building on fire, according to the SF Police Department.
While the police have not publicly identified the individual, Altman mentioned that the incident occurred just days after an “incendiary article” about him was published. He recalled someone suggesting that the article’s release “at a time of great anxiety about AI” could make circumstances “more dangerous” for him.
“I dismissed it,” Altman stated. “Now, I am awake in the middle of the night and angered, realizing that I have underestimated the influence of words and narratives.”
The article in question was an extensive investigative piece co-authored by Ronan Farrow (a Pulitzer winner for his reporting on the sexual abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein) and Andrew Marantz (known for his comprehensive writings on technology and politics).
Farrow and Marantz reported that in interviews with over 100 individuals familiar with Altman’s business conduct, most described him as possessing “a relentless will to power that, even among industrialists who put their names on spaceships, sets him apart.”
Mirroring observations from other journalists who have profiled Altman, Farrow and Marantz indicated that numerous sources raised questions about his trustworthiness. One anonymous board member was quoted as saying Altman combines “a strong desire to please people, to be liked in any given interaction” with “a sociopathic lack of concern for the consequences that may come from deceiving someone.”
In his reply, Altman admitted that upon reflection, he can identify “a lot of things I’m proud of and a bunch of mistakes.”
Among his errors, he noted a tendency towards “being conflict-averse,” which he stated has “caused great pain for me and OpenAI.”
“I am not proud of how I mishandled myself in a conflict with our previous board that led to significant turmoil for the company,” Altman acknowledged, presumably referencing his removal and subsequent swift reinstatement as OpenAI CEO in 2023. “I have made many other errors throughout OpenAI’s incredible journey; I am a flawed person navigating an exceptionally complex situation, striving to improve each year, always committed to the mission.”
He further added, “I apologize to people I’ve hurt and wish I had learned more quickly.”
Altman also recognized what he described as “so much Shakespearean drama between the companies in our field,” which he attributed to a “‘ring of power’ dynamic” that “makes people do crazy things.”
Naturally, the correct approach to the ring of power is to eliminate it. Altman elaborated, “I don’t mean that [artificial general intelligence] is the ring itself, but instead the totalizing philosophy of ‘being the one to control AGI.’” His proposed solution involves “orienting towards sharing the technology with people broadly, and for no one to possess the ring.”
Altman concluded by stating that he welcomes “good-faith criticism and debate,” while reaffirming his belief that “technological progress can create an unbelievably positive future, for your family and mine.”
“As we engage in that debate, we should de-escalate the rhetoric and tactics and strive for fewer explosions in fewer homes, both figuratively and literally,” he asserted.