Sam Altman has expressed discomfort with framing AI models in religious terms, despite his own previous use of similar language.
Key facts
- •Sam Altman stated that attributing religious power to AI models creates a real safety issue.
- •Pope Leo XIV recently stated that algorithms lack the spark of humanity.
- •Anthropic has reportedly conducted outreach to religious leaders.
- •Altman previously described the goal of AI development as building "magic intelligence in the sky" in 2023 and 2024.
- •Altman has expressed a goal of creating AI that is deeply humanized, similar to the portrayal in the movie "Her."
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently stated that he is uncomfortable when people ascribe religious force or a surrender of human judgment to AI models. He characterized this trend as a real safety issue. His comments follow reports regarding Anthropic's outreach to religious leaders and a statement from Pope Leo XIV asserting that algorithms lack the spark of humanity.
Shift in Rhetoric
Altman's recent stance contrasts with his own public statements from 2023 and 2024, during which he described OpenAI's goal as building a "magic intelligence in the sky." During that same period, he also remarked that he hoped to be on God's side and felt he was "on the side of the angels" while working on AI development.
Humanization Goals
Despite his pushback against religious framing, Altman has repeatedly stated that his goal is to create AI on the level of the film "Her," which focuses on a deeply humanized experience. The company has also engaged in discussions with religious leaders.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by The Decoder.
