OpenAI, once hailed as a non-profit champion of artificial intelligence, has been revealed in a new book to be a secretive and ruthless corporation that prioritizes growth over ethics. Technology journalist Karen Hao spent three days embedded in the company’s offices in 2019, where she witnessed firsthand its culture of secrecy. Over the next five years, OpenAI shifted towards an aggressive growth model, which has led to significant success but also severe consequences for its workers and the planet.
Hao argues that OpenAI’s rise can be likened to those of ancient empires, driven by a relentless pursuit of power and control. The company’s meteoric growth has made it one of the largest in the world, but at what cost? As Hao reveals in her book, “Empire of AI: Inside the reckless race for total domination,” OpenAI’s pursuit of dominance has had devastating effects on its employees and the environment.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/audio/2025/jun/01/the-openai-empire-full-story-podcast