OpenAI's Sam Altman: AI Will Transform the World Like Smartphones Did
-
On February 14, according to foreign media reports, Sam Altman, CEO of AI startup OpenAI, participated via video conference in the World Government Summit (WGS) held in Dubai on Tuesday and delivered a speech. He claimed that artificial intelligence will change the world 'like smartphones did,' announced that OpenAI will open-source more large models, revealed that ChatGPT-5 will become even more intelligent, and advocated for the UAE to become a global testing ground for AI regulation.
Altman stated that AI is the 'most exciting technological frontier' he can imagine, 'ushering in a future so promising it's hard to fathom.' Although current AI technology is still in its early stages, he believes significant breakthroughs will be made in the coming years.
When discussing the potential of generative AI and large language models, Altman remarked that the tech industry has only scratched the surface of their capabilities. He vividly analogized: 'Our current AI technology is like the first-generation mobile phones with monochrome screens and limited functionality. While it can’t do much yet, it’s already powerful enough—for example, enabling basic calls. But think about today’s iPhones, which have evolved over decades of iteration and development—their achievements are astounding.' Altman emphasized that the potential of artificial intelligence is far from fully realized, and significant research and innovation are still needed to drive its progress. He urged, "We need to be patient and give this technology enough time and space to demonstrate its true value. In a few years, AI will be much more powerful and mature than it is now; and in ten years, it will truly shine."
Looking to the future, Altman expressed his excitement: "Imagine a world where everyone can have a smart assistant, providing personalized advice and support like a personal tutor, or enjoying high-level personalized medical services!"
During his speech, Altman announced that OpenAI plans to open-source some of its large language models, though it has not yet determined which specific models. He also pledged that the company would provide development tools to economically disadvantaged countries to help them overcome the significant financial barriers to developing AI systems. Altman firmly believes that with the continuous progress of artificial intelligence technology, humanity will usher in an 'extraordinary' future. He predicts that when artificial intelligence is fully developed, it will completely revolutionize fields such as education, healthcare, and scientific research.
He emphasizes that artificial intelligence will become a powerful tool for humanity to build the future, making intelligence universal and affordable. Similar to the evolution of mobile phones, artificial intelligence also requires time and patience to gradually grow and mature.
Additionally, he urges governments around the world to actively adopt artificial intelligence technology to better serve citizens and modernize workplaces. When discussing expectations for GPT-5, Altman enthusiastically stated: "It will be more intelligent, support multimodal interaction, and respond faster. But most importantly, it will become even smarter."
Altman also called for governments worldwide to collaborate closely, adopt new technologies, and take appropriate measures. Meanwhile, we need to patiently wait for new technologies to fully mature. He said: "This generation is incredibly fortunate to live in the best era in human history. Although the rules are changing, artificial intelligence will empower us with the ability to express creative imagination and willpower, which is extraordinary."
Through a video message to the UAE's AI Minister, Altman proposed a bold vision: the UAE should serve as a global "regulatory sandbox," taking the lead in testing and guiding worldwide AI technology regulation. Altman emphasized that formulating AI regulatory strategies based solely on imagination is impractical. He believes that by testing AI technologies in real-world environments, we can observe their effects, identify potential risks, and determine which applications are beneficial and which may be harmful.
Altman further pointed out that a unified global AI policy framework is needed to ensure the healthy development of the technology. He believes that the UAE, with its substantial investments and forward-looking policies in the AI field, will play a leading role in this area.
Altman also cited the International Atomic Energy Agency as an example, stressing that strict audit and safety measures must be established before deploying superintelligence or general artificial intelligence. While making these remarks, Altman was seeking investor support in the Middle East to advance a semiconductor initiative aimed at propelling artificial intelligence. The UAE has made substantial investments in AI and considers it a key policy priority.
Altman visited the UAE in 2023, where he participated in an event hosted by Abu Dhabi's Hub71, a government-backed startup ecosystem. He expressed optimism about the Middle East and North Africa's potential in developing safe AI. He believes the UAE's vision and investments in AI position it as a significant player in global AI governance.
As the AI boom reshapes the tech industry, there are both hopes and fears surrounding this technology. At the conference, Altman maintained an optimistic outlook for the future, encouraging younger generations to actively utilize AI tools to create unprecedented value. At the same time, he urged caution to ensure technological development aligns with society's common interests. Altman said: "You will be able to use these tools to do things that were unimaginable to the previous generation. AI will bring countless opportunities to your careers. The world we live in is changing at an unprecedented speed, and the rules are constantly being rewritten, but one thing remains eternal: the ability to create value and realize personal visions. This will be a great era for innovators and dreamers."
However, Altman expressed profound concerns about the "social misalignment" phenomenon in the field of artificial intelligence, even losing sleep over it. He pointed out that this subtle misalignment may be more dangerous than direct malicious behavior because it could lead to intelligent systems causing massive damage to society.
Altman said: "Some things easily make people think about where things went wrong. I'm not very interested in killer robots walking on the streets. What interests me more are very subtle social misalignment issues, where things can go very wrong even when the AI system itself has no malicious intent." Altman emphasized that the development of artificial intelligence may far exceed people's expectations, so strong measures must be taken to ensure the technology is safe and controllable. At the same time, he also made it clear that artificial intelligence companies should not take a dominant role in formulating industry regulatory rules.
Altman said: "At present, all parties are still in a stage of intense discussion and debate. We need a healthy and open environment to promote the formulation of relevant policies. But in the next few years, we must take action to gain real support globally."