[podnami]

Doesn’t make any sense. He is ideologically driven - why would he risk a once in a lifetime opportunity for a mere sale?

Desperate times calls for desperate measures. This is a swift way for OpenAI to shield the business from something which is a PR disaster, probably something which would make Sam persona non grata in any business context.

[kashyapc]

From where I'm sitting (not in Silicon Valley; but Western EU), Altman never inspired long-term confidence in heading "Open"AI (the name is an insult to all those truly working on open models, but I digress). Many of us who are following the "AI story" have seen his recent communication / "testimony"[1] with the US Congress.

It was abundantly obvious how he was using weasel language like "I'm very 'nervous' and a 'little bit scared' about what we've created [at OpenAI]" and other such BS. We know he was after "moat" and "regulatory capture", which we know where it all leads to — a net [long-term] loss for the society.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35960125

[kdmccormick]

> "Open"AI (the name is an insult to all those truly working on open models, but I digress)

Thank you. I don't see this expressed enough.

A true idealist would be committed to working on open models. Anyone who thinks Sam was in it for the good of humanity is falling for the same "I'm-rich-but-I-care" schtick pulled off by Elon, SBF, and others.

[avinoth]

Thanks for this! I’m very surprised about the overwhelming support for Altman in this thread going as far as calling the board incompetent and inexperienced to fire someone like him, who now is suddenly the right steward for AI.

This is not at all the take, and rightly so, when the news broke out about non profit or the congressional hearing or his worldcoin and many such instances. All of a sudden he is the messiah that was wronged narrative being pushed is very confusing.

[xkekjrktllss]

> Many of us who are following the "AI story" have seen his recent communication / "testimony"[1] with the US Congress.

The discussions here would make you think otherwise. Clearly that is what this is about.

[hhnhaada728288]

Yeah I pretty much agree with this take.

[dogcomplex]

He claims to be ideologically driven. OpenAI's actions as a company up til now point otherwise

[dmix]

Sam didn't take equity in OpenAi so I don't see a personal ulterior profit motive as being a big likelihood. We could just wait to find out instead of speculating...

[enonimal]

Worldcoin https://worldcoin.org/ deserves a mention

[Aeolun]

How so? Seems they’re doing a pretty good job of making their stuff accessible while still being profitable.

[majesticglue]

100%. Man I was worried he'd be a worse, more slimy elon musk who'd constantly say one thing but his actions portray another story. People will be fooled again.

[ammma]

I love that you think Sam A is ideologically driven - dive a little deeper than the surface. man's a snake

[solardev]

They didn't say which ideology ;)

[VirusNewbie]

I'm a @sama hater (I have a whole post on it) but I haven't heard this particular gossip, so do tell.

[stanislavb]

Similar to E.Musk. Maybe a little less obvious.

[brap]

Same guy who ran a crypto scam that somehow involved scanning the retinas of third-world citizens?

[bambax]

This is what did it for me. No way anyone doing this can be "good". It's unfathomable.

[strikelaserclaw]

like SBF and his effective altruism?

[smcleod]

I highly doubt he's ideologically driven. He's as much of a VC loving silicon valley tech-bro as the next. The company has been anything but "open".

[freedomben]

He doesn't have equity, so what would be driving him if not ideology?

[rsrsrs86]

_That_ is his ideology.

[bmitc]

> He is ideologically driven

Is that actually confirmed? What has he done to make that a true statement? Is he not just an investor? He seems pretty egoist like every other Silicon Valley venture capitalist and executive.

[PaulRobinson]

It is probably - for him - a once in a lifetime sale.

[goatherders]

Billions of dollars is a "mere sale?"

Lol