Sam Altman says AI could end up controlled by a few powerful players, partly because AI fears could push people to trade "a lot of liberty for safety" (Truman Dickerson/Business Insider)

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has expressed concerns that the power of artificial intelligence (AI) could become concentrated among a handful of players, leaving the majority of consumers without a say in how the technology shapes the world. He worries that AI could end up controlled by a few powerful companies, models, or people.

Altman also notes that fears about AI safety could lead people to trade their liberty for safety. He believes that instead, AI should empower individuals and fuel a boom in small businesses. According to Altman, the right approach is to ensure that people are deeply in control of the future of AI.

Altman's concerns include the possibility of AI breaking free from its human handlers, which he thinks could paradoxically lead to a situation where a few powerful players control AI. Some people, anxious about AI risks, may advocate for trading off liberty for safety, Altman said, citing the example of Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who has warned about AI dangers.

Brief written by urgent.news from Techmeme, Business Insider — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.