The problem with Sam Altman's vision for a 'shared prosperity' from AI
Briefly

In a rare post on his personal blog on Monday, the OpenAI CEO heralded the coming of an AI-induced "Intelligence Age." He argues that we're verging on this new prosperity because "deep learning worked." OpenAI has demonstrated that with enough computing power, training larger language models results in predictably smarter AI, which paves the way for shared prosperity that seems unimaginable today. Altman envisions a future where everyone has access to personalized virtual experts and tutors, potentially transforming society.
Altman discusses how this AI-induced transformation could create exceptional shared prosperity over the next few thousand days. He emphasizes, "With these new abilities, we can have shared prosperity to a degree that seems unimaginable today." However, there's concern that the benefits will not be evenly distributed, suggesting the emergence of a divide between those who have access to the resources needed to harness AI effectively and those who do not. This brings a crucial point to the forefront regarding equity in technological advancement.
Despite the potential for AI to enhance human progress, Altman warns that without adequate infrastructure such as computing power and energy, the technology risks becoming a limited resource. He articulates a critical concern: "If we don't build enough infrastructure, AI will be a very limited resource that wars get fought over and that becomes mostly a tool for rich people." This statement underscores the importance of equitable access to AI technologies to prevent social disparities.
Critics have pointed out the concept of "closed AI," where OpenAI does not open-source its models. This limits the ability for developers to modify applications or secure their data adequately. As pointed out, "That's partly because building huge frontier models is extremely costly, and the company and its investors have an interest in ensuring that the research is protected as intellectual property." This situation creates tension between innovation and access.
Read at Fast Company
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