OpenAI Investigator Reveals Hidden Cult-Like Rituals | Karen Hao

Large-scale AI development, led by companies like OpenAI, operates under a dangerous, quasi-religious ideology that prioritizes the creation of a "machine god" to prevent the rise of a "machine demon." This pursuit has fueled a massive economic bubble, characterized by unsustainable capital expenditure on rapidly depreciating infrastructure and a lack of viable business models. While these "rocket" models—designed to automate human labor—dominate the industry, they often exploit workers and consume excessive environmental resources. A more beneficial path lies in "bicycle" AI, such as AlphaFold, which utilizes specialized, efficient, and sustainable methods to solve concrete problems like drug discovery. Ultimately, the industry’s obsession with AGI serves as a marketing tool to consolidate power, necessitating greater transparency and a shift toward diverse, community-driven AI approaches that prioritize human agency and democratic values over corporate dominance.