OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warns of AI authoritarianism amid industry criticism

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman told a podcast that the world is close to creating a "genie" that could fulfill any wish, but he warned that the greatest danger is the emergence of an AI‑driven authoritarian regime. Altman said the technology must remain inexpensive, powerful and broadly accessible to benefit humanity and avoid being controlled by a single group or company.

At the same time, Moonshot founder Zhilin Yang criticised OpenAI, arguing that the firm has not invented anything new but merely combined existing components. Yang noted OpenAI’s earlier refusal to sign an open‑weight AI letter and its later reversal under public pressure, highlighting a wider debate over open‑source AI models and the role of major tech firms such as Google, Microsoft and Meta in shaping AI policy.