OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is emphasizing where he says OpenAI and Anthropic disagree, even as the two companies have aligned more on stricter artificial intelligence policy.
Speaking in a new interview, Altman said public access to AI should stay even if that means living with some harm, Politico reported.
Here's what to know
Altman said the dispute with Anthropic is rooted in different views about how much risk should come with AI adoption.
According to Politico, he pressed on how OpenAI differs from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.
Altman said OpenAI believes "the world should accept some bad things happening for the benefits of this technology and people having the agency."
For much of the industry's policy debate, Anthropic has been identified with tougher regulation, and OpenAI hasn't regulated as much.
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Events have narrowed the policy gap. OpenAI has moved toward tougher rules as it contends with prominent hacking incidents and problematic model behavior.
Altman has also supported Amodei's call to slow development of the most advanced AI systems.
More background
While it's unclear what harm Altman is referring to here, generative AI does impact some people more than others.
Companies are extracting materials used to power data centers that AI and other technology needs in very harmful ways. Critics state that this tech shouldn't come at the cost of majorly disrupting people's quality of life in countries outside of the West.
What's being done?
OpenAI has also lined up with Anthropic behind state legislation that would set tougher safety standards than the company had previously endorsed.
Its lobbyists have likewise backed a bipartisan House proposal that would require top AI companies to use outside safety evaluators.
Even so, Altman is still talking about the difference.
"I think there's a lot of daylight," he said in Decoded, per Decoded co-author and Politico senior tech reporter Brendan Bordelon.
Where can I learn more?
Even though some in positions of power don't want to see it happen, many people are calling for stronger oversight of generative AI now.
• At Anthropic, Dario Amodei says binding U.S. rules are now needed for advanced AI.
• Across leading AI firms, watchdogs warn of dangerously overlooked flaws in safety systems.
• Public backlash is growing as AI threatens jobs, water and electricity in communities.
• In Congress, a controversial plan would reject new AI regulations despite mounting harms.
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