AGI Believers: Kevin Roose on the Race

The pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI) functions less like a standard technological development and more like a high-stakes ideological movement driven by a small, intensely competitive group of visionaries. These leaders, including figures from OpenAI, Anthropic, and DeepMind, operate with a conviction rooted in science fiction and the belief that they are manifesting a historical inevitability. While the Manhattan Project serves as a frequent analogy for their work, the current landscape differs due to the immense commercial power of these labs and the lack of direct government control over the underlying technology. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into professional sectors, the tension between its rapid adoption and the potential for social disruption—such as significant labor market shifts—remains a critical point of friction. Ultimately, the trajectory of AI development hinges on whether these "believers" can navigate the complex political and social realities they are actively reshaping.