Sam Altman puts human freedom above AI cancer cure claims
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has a different idea of what people should expect from artificial intelligence. He is not convinced by the way AI companies often promote the technology by promising breakthroughs such as finding a cure for cancer. Altman says that while such medical advances would be welcome, the bigger achievement would be to give people more control over their lives instead of making them increasingly dependent on machines. He shared his views during a conversation with podcaster Matthew Berman. When asked why people should feel excited about AI, he said he dislikes the industry's usual response that the technology will cure cancer and make everything cheaper.
"Well, the normal answer that people in AI give, which I hate, is that AI is going to cure cancer," he said.
His concern is that these promises focus heavily on what machines can provide while ignoring what humans might give up in return. Altman argued that having access to more material comforts would mean little if people no longer had the freedom to make decisions, pursue their interests or have a say in their future.
He wants AI to give people more time and opportunities to explore their creativity, rather than take away their independence. Referring to the lessons of the Industrial Revolution, Altman said he hopes society does not end up in a situation where technological progress benefits people materially but leaves them with less control over their lives.
"I think that's what we owe people. I think we can deliver that," he said.Sam Altman warns against concentration of AI power
The OpenAI CEO also discussed what could go wrong as AI systems become more advanced. He is concerned about two possibilities that AI systems getting out of human control because of an accident, or companies deliberately developing technology that allows them to gain excessive power. He also cautioned against a future where a handful of companies or individuals control most of the world's AI capabilities and make decisions that affect everyone else.
Altman, however, believes neither outcome is inevitable. He said the technology already offers significant benefits to early adopters, but a large part of the population is yet to experience them. Making AI accessible to more people could help bring about the kind of future he wants to see.
Altman's comments come amid growing predictions about AI's potential to transform medical research. Arm CEO Rene Haas recently made a strong prediction in an interview with the BBC, saying AI could find a cure for cancer within our lifetimes. Haas explained that understanding how cancer affects DNA markers and modelling human cells involves complexities that current computing systems struggle to handle. He believes more advanced computers and AI models will eventually be able to solve these problems.
There are, however, questions about how quickly such breakthroughs could happen. Sherene Loi, a medical oncologist specialising in breast cancer treatment at Melbourne's Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, offered a more cautious assessment in a conversation with The Guardian. She said AI may need to develop the ability to independently think and conduct experiments on a large scale before researchers can expect it to find cures for all cancers or other medical illnesses. Loi was not confident that such a breakthrough would happen within the next 10 years.- Ends
Ankita Garg is a tech journalist with more than 9 years of experience. She is always curious about new gadgets and loves writing about them. When not writing, you will find her painting or sketching.
