Forget dystopian scenarios — AI is pervasive today, with the risks to people often hidden

THE TURMOIL AT ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, bookended by the board of directors firing high-profile CEO Sam Altman on Nov. 17, 2023, and rehiring him just four days later, has put a spotlight on artificial intelligence safety and concerns about the rapid development of artificial general intelligence, or AGI. AGI is loosely defined as human-level intelligence across a range of tasks.

The OpenAI board stated that Altman’s termination was for lack of candor, but speculation has centered on a rift between Altman and members of the board over concerns that OpenAI’s remarkable growth — products such as ChatGPT and Dall-E have acquired hundreds of millions of users worldwide — has hindered the company’s ability to focus on catastrophic risks posed by AGI.