Sam Altman is again in the news, and this time the issue is not related to his company but an attack on his home. A 20-year-old man attacked Altman’s home on Friday, prompting an emotional response from the CEO. The attacker targeted the property with a Molotov cocktail, which ignited the exterior gate. The man fled the scene on foot after the attack but was later arrested by the police.
The suspect was arrested an hour later near OpenAI headquarters, where he was allegedly threatening to set the building on fire. Police have not publicly identified the suspect or indicated the motive behind the attack. An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the incident and thanked the police for their quick response and support to employees.
Altman responds to allegations and report
The attack also drew a response from Sam Altman, where he also addressed allegations put forward by a recent investigative report by The New Yorker. The publication, based on interviews with people that are associated with Altman and OpenAI, accused the CEO of deception and manipulation and described him as conflict-averse.
In a blog post, Altman shared a photo of his husband and child and wrote, “in the hopes that it might dissuade the next person from throwing a Molotov cocktail at our house, no matter what they think about me.”
In the same post, Altman called the article “incendiary” and said he underestimated the power of words and narratives. He said he is proud of his achievements and mistakes but accepted that his “conflict-averse” nature, an allegation put forth by the publication, has caused problems for him and the company.
Admits mistakes and past conflict issues
Altman acknowledged that he handled a major disagreement badly, especially with OpenAI’s previous board. He said he is a flawed person and has made many mistakes that have impacted the company and the people involved. In the blog, Altman said that conflicts were painful and serious and apologised to people he has hurt.
“We knew going into this how huge the stakes of AI were, and that the personal disagreements between well-meaning people I cared about would be amplified greatly. But it’s another thing to live through these bitter conflicts and often to have to arbitrate them, and the costs have been serious. I am sorry to people I’ve hurt and wish I had learned more faster,” Altman wrote.
Altman acknowledges fear around AI
In the blog post, Sam Altman also acknowledged the fear and anxiety around AI. He said that such concerns are justified, as we are in the process of witnessing one of the largest changes to society in a long time, and perhaps ever. Altman added that making AI behave safely is not enough; society as a whole must be strengthened and prepared through new policies to deal with emerging risks.
However, this is not the first such incident involving OpenAI. In November, the company’s headquarters went into lockdown when a man threatened to go to several OpenAI offices in San Francisco to “murder people.”
