- Personality hires fuel the AI hype machine.
- Sam Altman, Leopold Aschenbrenner, and Humane’s AI Pin exemplify this trend.
- While hype can be useful, approach AI with a critical eye.
OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, is the epitome of a personality hire. His charisma and networking skills have propelled him to the top of the AI world, convincing deep-pocketed friends to fund OpenAI and dazzling those who can help him the most.
However, his smooth operator style nearly cost him his job when the board temporarily fired him in November.
The doomsday prophet
Former OpenAI employee Leopold Aschenbrenner has emerged as the hypeman of AI doomerism.
His 165-page manifesto warns of the dangers of unchecked AI, including questionable charts and comparisons to the atomic bomb.
While the validity of his claims is debatable, his verbose proclamations ring of self-serving hype, potentially aimed at attracting the attention of hawkish investors.
Humane’s AI Pin, created by former Apple employees and stylish dressers, raised $240 million from investors, including Sam Altman.
Despite the hype and cool demo videos, the AI Pin has been a failure so far, plagued by poor reviews, low sales, and even a charger recall due to fire hazards.
This ambitious hardware device serves as a cautionary tale of the dangers of excessive hype.
Hype: the most human thing in AI
In the current AI landscape, where the true potential and implications of the technology remain unclear, hype purveyors have ample opportunity to sell people on its magic and power or play to their worst fears.
While hype can be useful, just like personality hires in a workplace, it’s important to approach AI with a critical eye and not get swept up in the frenzy.
Ironically, the most beautiful part of the AI hype machine is that it’s the most human thing – something AI could never replace.
