The Intelligence Age: Revolution or a New Monopoly?

The dawn of the Intelligence Age is upon us, and it promises to be both magical and perilous. But as technology scales, so does the concentration of power in the hands of a few, like Sam Altman who has his fingers in the most important resources of the coming decades: compute, energy, and chips (GPUs). Can we really trust one man with the power to control the future of humanity? Sam Altman seems to think so—but at what cost?

In his article on The Intelligence Age, Sam Altman envisions a future where artificial intelligence transforms society in ways that would have seemed magical just a few generations ago. He argues that AI will enable humanity to solve previously insurmountable problems, from climate change to personalized healthcare and even space colonization.

Altman frames AI as an inevitable force for good, capable of accelerating progress and delivering widespread prosperity. He describes a world where every individual will have access to personal AI assistants, making us all exponentially more capable. According to him, the Intelligence Age will bring a level of abundance and problem-solving capabilities that are almost beyond comprehension today.

However, this optimistic vision glosses over significant concerns—particularly about Altman himself. Can we truly trust one person to have control over the core resources that will drive this new era: GPUs, compute power, and energy? Altman, once an advocate for OpenAI’s nonprofit mission, is in the process of raising another $6.5 billion in funding and removing the profit cap that was once a defining feature of the organization is part of that. OpenAI’s shift from a nonprofit to a “capped-profit” model, and now to one with seemingly fewer limitations, signals a pivot toward profit maximization. This is troubling, as it raises the question: Is Altman really focused on human progress, or is he just another tech leader pursuing profits under the guise of innovation?

Altman’s trajectory mirrors that of Elon Musk, another tech mogul with control over critical infrastructure for the future—ranging from bandwidth and energy to brain-computer interfaces and space travel. Both men wield immense influence over industries that will shape the coming decades, and both are increasingly unencumbered by the ethical or regulatory frameworks that should govern such power.

The concentration of control over these resources is not just problematic—it’s potentially dangerous. We are seeing the consolidation of unprecedented technological power in the hands of a few individuals, who, while visionary, are also profit-driven.

Another issue Altman underplays is the impact of AI on jobs. He claims that while AI will disrupt labor markets, it will not eliminate the need for human work. According to him, people will simply transition into new roles, aided by AI tools. While this perspective aligns with his vision of technological utopia, it neglects the social upheaval that could occur in the process. Billions of jobs could be rendered obsolete before the promised new opportunities materialize, leading to economic disparity and social unrest. It’s easy to imagine how companies like OpenAI, with their focus on rapid scaling and market dominance, could prioritize short-term gains over long-term societal impact.

The trend lines are clear: AI is not going to stop advancing, and the benchmarks keep breaking. The more compute and data we pour into these systems, the more capable they become. This raises another concern—too much power in too few hands.

History has shown that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. While Altman’s vision for the Intelligence Age is compelling, it’s critical to remember that technology, especially something as transformative as AI, requires rigorous oversight. Without proper regulation, we risk entering an era where a small group of individuals dictates the future of humanity with little accountability and increased AI surveillance.

As a society, we must establish guardrails to prevent the monopolization of AI’s vast potential. This is not just about preventing economic inequality or job displacement; it’s about ensuring that the power to shape the future remains democratic and inclusive. The Intelligence Age will only live up to its promise if it serves the broader good rather than enriching a select few.

It’s time to ask ourselves: Do we really want our future shaped by a handful of tech leaders, or should we be taking steps now to ensure that AI’s benefits are shared by all?