Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI  — Karen Hao

Karen Hao’s Empire of AI pulls back the curtain on OpenAI, one of the most consequential technology companies of our time. Through meticulous reporting, Hao explores the paradox at the heart of the organization: its mission to build artificial general intelligence (AGI) for the good of humanity and the pressures of corporate survival and profit-making. By tracing OpenAI’s journey from a nonprofit ideal to a corporate powerhouse tied to Microsoft and venture capital, Hao reveals how ideals and commerce collide in the pursuit of cutting-edge technology. The book also highlights the cultural secrecy inside OpenAI, internal tensions among researchers, and the growing unease among ethicists who fear AI’s rapid development could outpace human safeguards. With interviews, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and clear-eyed analysis, Hao raises urgent questions about accountability, transparency, and the dangers of concentrating technological power in the hands of a few. More than a history, Empire of AI is a wake-up call: it reminds us that the future of artificial intelligence is not only a technical challenge but also a societal choice. For readers interested in technology, politics, and ethics, this book offers both inspiration and a warning.