Sam Altman Says He Intends to Replace Normal People With AI
Futurism
Profile in New York magazine by Elizabeth Weil
“For me, AGI ... is the equivalent of a median human that you could hire as a co-worker”
Sam Altmanreported 25 September 2023- What you'll lose3/5
The coming technology, described as a stand-in for an ordinary hire.
- Condescension5/5
The people it replaces: 'median humans'.
- Tone-deafness4/5
The profile's own author flagged it as tech-bubble tone.
- Doom0/5
None.
- Hypocrisy0/5
No contradiction on record.
Full time12 pitchforksof a possible 25
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The occasion
Profile in New York magazine by Elizabeth Weil, reported 25 September 2023.
Context
Describing what he means by AGI, Altman used the phrase 'median human', which the profile's author flagged as an example of the tone-deafness common in the tech bubble. The profile does not date the remark; Business Insider notes he used similar language in a 2022 podcast.
Crowd reaction
Widespread criticism
Business Insider quotes Oxford's Brent Mittelstadt calling the comparison 'a bit offensive' and Cambridge's Henry Shevlin saying 'median human' 'makes the quote sound more icky'; IBTimes UK says Altman is 'under fire' and Futurism headlines that he intends to replace 'normal people' with AI.
- Primary source, essay
- New York magazine: Sam Altman Is the Oppenheimer of Our Age
- Business Insider (via Yahoo): Tech bros like OpenAI's Sam Altman keep obsessing about replacing the 'median human' with AI
- Futurism: Sam Altman Says He Intends to Replace Normal People With AI
- IBTimes UK: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Under Fire For Comparing Capabilities Of AGI To Median Human
- Where the exact words are printed