Sam Altman says AI will make ‘bad things’ happen. Exhibit A: needless death | Moustafa Bayoumi

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, suggests that society should accept some negative consequences of AI because of the technology's potential benefits and the agency it provides to people. Speaking in an interview, Altman noted that OpenAI and rival Anthropic have different approaches to AI safety. He believes that society should accept the fact that some bad things will inevitably happen as the resilience of the technology is figured out.

Altman also mentioned that he wouldn't accept a trade-off in which OpenAI prevents major AI-related hacks, scams, or misuse of the technology, as he believes the benefits of AI would outweigh the negatives. Despite the various drawbacks of AI, such as mass job losses, pollution, copyright infringements, and power demands, Altman acknowledges that the technology has brought some tangible benefits, like more accurate weather predictions.

He also expressed his frustration with Elon Musk, with whom he has a contentious history, stating that he doesn't like bullies and plans to "punch a bully back in the nose."