Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, caused a stir with his statements about Elon Musk, whom he called a “bully” in an interview with Vanity Fair, published on October 5. Despite the tensions, Altman said he would work with Musk, emphasizing the need for collaboration in the artificial intelligence industry, despite Musk’s behavior on Twitter.
See also: Sam Altman: He denies his sister's accusations of sexual abuse
The interview, recorded in San Francisco on September 11 for the podcast Fair Game, is the first of two. Altman said, “I’ll work with Elon, of course.” He expressed the view that artificial intelligence requires collaboration and open dialogue, despite personal differences. Specifically, he commented, “Look, I don’t like bullies, and I think Elon is a bully. And so I think that every now and then, you have to punch a bully in the nose.
Altman argued that Musk, like many bullies, only respects those who stand up to him, underscoring the need for stability and determination in professional relationships.
At the end of the interview, Altman responded to a series of names with his first impressions. He described Musk as “ Unkind ” and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei as “ Awkward .” He referred to President Donald Trump as “ Powerful ” and Peter Thiel as “ Great .” He called OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever “ Brilliant ,” adding that he is “ caring, warm, and a wonderful person .”
He reiterated his willingness to work with Musk and Amodei, showing that professional collaboration can transcend personal differences.
See also: Elon Musk's DOGE site is vulnerable to defacement attacks
Altman acknowledged that many people now see AI as a bad force and him as evil. He expressed that he feels misunderstood but noted that it is “just kind of disappointing.” He suggested that people need someone to blame for the anxiety AI is causing, saying, “I think if there was someone else in my shoes, people would have the same feelings and say the same things.”
He recalled having a negative perception of Mark Zuckerberg before meeting him, pointing out the public's tendency to form prejudices without a full understanding of the facts.
In the upcoming film “Artificial,” Andrew Garfield plays Altman. Altman said he saw the trailer and found it strange to see someone dressed like him filming scenes outside his home. He commented on the film’s accuracy, stating that the depiction of a gun safe in the trailer does not exist, although he does have a ranch where his family could live off the grid.
The film, originally produced by Amazon, was pulled in June, with Neon releasing it on Christmas Day. Altman clarified that he had not spoken to Amazon about the film and had not been in contact with Jeff Bezos about it.
See also: Fidelity: Twitter (X) has lost 71% of its value since its purchase by Elon Musk
Altman’s Vanity Fair interview and his comments about Elon Musk highlight the challenges and dynamics that exist in the AI industry. The need for collaboration and open dialogue is critical as AI continues to impact various sectors of society and the economy. Altman, as one of the leaders in the field, seems to recognize the responsibilities and challenges that come with his position, trying to balance personal views with professional obligations.
