Artificial Implosion              

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Artificial Implosion

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Chris Stokel-Walker asks what impact OpenAI’s recent implosion could have on the world.

After OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was deposed – then reinstated – by the company’s board in 106 hours of chaos, tech journalist Chris Stokel-Walker explores the incident’s wider impact.

Until 17 November, Sam Altman was riding high. The CEO of OpenAI was bringing artificial intelligence to the world. Then he wasn’t.

Deposed in a board coup, Altman’s firing kickstarted 106 hours of chaos at the company spearheading the AI revolution.

Journalist and author Chris Stokel-Walker explores the possible reasons why Altman was fired, how the incident reflects a broader deep-seated unease at AI’s transformative effects on society, and what it means now Altman has returned more powerful than ever before.

Presented by Chris Stokel-Walker
Produced by James Tindale

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

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