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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that his company has grown to 800 million weekly active users and is experiencing \u201cunbelievable\u201d growth rates, during a sometimes tense interview at the TED 2025 conference in Vancouver last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI have never seen growth in any company, one that I\u2019ve been involved with or not, like this,\u201d Altman told TED head Chris Anderson during their on-stage conversation. \u201cThe growth of ChatGPT \u2014 it is really fun. I feel deeply honored. But it is crazy to live through, and our teams are exhausted and stressed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The interview, which closed out the final day of TED 2025: Humanity Reimagined, showcased not just OpenAI\u2019s skyrocketing success but also the increasing scrutiny the company faces as its technology transforms society at a pace that alarms even some of its supporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n<\/iframe>\n<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-our-gpus-are-melting-openai-struggles-to-scale-amid-unprecedented-demand\">\u2018Our GPUs are melting\u2019: OpenAI struggles to scale amid unprecedented demand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Altman painted a picture of a company struggling to keep up with its own success, noting that OpenAI\u2019s GPUs are \u201cmelting\u201d due to the popularity of its new image generation features. \u201cAll day long, I call people and beg them to give us their GPUs. We are so incredibly constrained,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This exponential growth comes as OpenAI is reportedly considering launching its own social network to compete with Elon Musk\u2019s X, according to CNBC. Altman neither confirmed nor denied these reports during the TED interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The company recently closed a $40 billion funding round, valuing it at $300 billion \u2014 the largest private tech funding in history \u2014 and this influx of capital will likely help address some of these infrastructure challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-from-non-profit-to-300-billion-giant-altman-responds-to-ring-of-power-accusations\">From non-profit to $300 billion giant: Altman responds to \u2018Ring of Power\u2019 accusations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout the 47-minute conversation, Anderson repeatedly pressed Altman on OpenAI\u2019s transformation from a non-profit research lab to a for-profit company with a $300 billion valuation. Anderson voiced concerns shared by critics, including Elon Musk, who has suggested Altman has been \u201ccorrupted by the Ring of Power,\u201d referencing \u201cThe Lord of the Rings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Altman defended OpenAI\u2019s path: \u201cOur goal is to make AGI and distribute it, make it safe for the broad benefit of humanity. I think by all accounts, we have done a lot in that direction. Clearly, our tactics have shifted over time\u2026 We didn\u2019t think we would have to build a company around this. We learned a lot about how it goes and the realities of what these systems were going to take from capital.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When asked how he personally handles the enormous power he now wields, Altman responded: \u201cShockingly, the same as before. I think you can get used to anything step by step\u2026 You\u2019re the same person. I\u2019m sure I\u2019m not in all sorts of ways, but I don\u2019t feel any different.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-divvying-up-revenue-openai-plans-to-pay-artists-whose-styles-are-used-by-ai\">\u2018Divvying up revenue\u2019: OpenAI plans to pay artists whose styles are used by AI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most concrete policy announcements from the interview was Altman\u2019s acknowledgment that OpenAI is working on a system to compensate artists whose styles are emulated by AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think there are incredible new business models that we and others are excited to explore,\u201d Altman said when pressed about apparent IP theft in AI-generated images. \u201cIf you say, \u2018I want to generate art in the style of these seven people, all of whom have consented to that,\u2019 how do you divvy up how much money goes to each one?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Currently, OpenAI\u2019s image generator refuses requests to mimic the style of living artists without consent, but will generate art in the style of movements, genres, or studios. Altman suggested a revenue-sharing model could be forthcoming, though details remain scarce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-autonomous-ai-agents-the-most-consequential-safety-challenge-openai-has-faced\">Autonomous AI agents: The \u2018most consequential safety challenge\u2019 OpenAI has faced<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The conversation grew particularly tense when discussing \u201cagentic AI\u201d \u2014 autonomous systems that can take actions on the internet on a user\u2019s behalf. OpenAI\u2019s new \u201cOperator\u201d tool allows AI to perform tasks like booking restaurants, raising concerns about safety and accountability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anderson challenged Altman: \u201cA single person could let that agent out there, and the agent could decide, \u2018Well, in order to execute on that function, I got to copy myself everywhere.\u2019 Are there red lines that you have clearly drawn internally, where you know what the danger moments are?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Altman referenced OpenAI\u2019s \u201cpreparedness framework\u201d but provided few specifics about how the company would prevent misuse of autonomous agents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAI that you give access to your systems, your information, the ability to click around on your computer\u2026 when they make a mistake, it\u2019s much higher stakes,\u201d Altman acknowledged. \u201cYou will not use our agents if you do not trust that they\u2019re not going to empty your bank account or delete your data.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-14-definitions-from-10-researchers-inside-openai-s-struggle-to-define-agi\">\u201914 definitions from 10 researchers\u2019: Inside OpenAI\u2019s struggle to define AGI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In a revealing moment, Altman admitted that even within OpenAI, there\u2019s no consensus on what constitutes artificial general intelligence (AGI) \u2014 the company\u2019s stated goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s like the joke, if you\u2019ve got 10 OpenAI researchers in a room and asked to define AGI, you\u2019d get 14 definitions,\u201d Altman said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He suggested that rather than focusing on a specific moment when AGI arrives, we should recognize that \u201cthe models are just going to get smarter and more capable and smarter and more capable on this long exponential\u2026 We\u2019re going to have to contend and get wonderful benefits from this incredible system.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-loosening-the-guardrails-openai-s-new-approach-to-content-moderation\">Loosening the guardrails: OpenAI\u2019s new approach to content moderation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Altman also disclosed a significant policy change regarding content moderation, revealing that OpenAI has loosened restrictions on its image generation models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve given the users much more freedom on what we would traditionally think about as speech harms,\u201d he explained. \u201cI think part of model alignment is following what the user of a model wants it to do within the very broad bounds of what society decides.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This shift could signal a broader move toward giving users more control over AI outputs, potentially aligning with Altman\u2019s expressed preference for letting the hundreds of millions of users \u2014 rather than \u201csmall elite summits\u201d \u2014 determine appropriate guardrails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOne of the cool new things about AI is our AI can talk to everybody on Earth, and we can learn the collective value preference of what everybody wants, rather than have a bunch of people who are blessed by society to sit in a room and make these decisions,\u201d Altman said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-my-kid-will-never-be-smarter-than-ai-altman-s-vision-of-an-ai-powered-future\">\u2018My kid will never be smarter than AI\u2019: Altman\u2019s vision of an AI-powered future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The interview concluded with Altman reflecting on the world his newborn son will inherit \u2014 one where AI will exceed human intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy kid will never be smarter than AI. They will never grow up in a world where products and services are not incredibly smart, incredibly capable,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019ll be a world of incredible material abundance\u2026 where the rate of change is incredibly fast and amazing new things are happening.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anderson closed with a sobering observation: \u201cOver the next few years, you\u2019re going to have some of the biggest opportunities, the biggest moral challenges, the biggest decisions to make of perhaps any human in history.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-billion-user-balancing-act-how-openai-navigates-power-profit-and-purpose\">The billion-user balancing act: How OpenAI navigates power, profit, and purpose<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Altman\u2019s TED appearance comes at a critical juncture for OpenAI and the broader AI industry. The company faces mounting legal challenges, including copyright lawsuits from authors and publishers, while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of what AI can do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recent advancements like ChatGPT\u2019s viral image generation feature and video generation tool Sora have demonstrated capabilities that seemed impossible just months ago. At the same time, these tools have sparked debates about copyright, authenticity, and the future of creative work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Altman\u2019s willingness to engage with difficult questions about safety, ethics, and the societal impact of AI shows an awareness of the stakes involved. However, critics may note that concrete answers on specific safeguards and policies remained elusive throughout the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The interview also revealed the competing tensions at the heart of OpenAI\u2019s mission: moving fast to advance AI technology while ensuring safety; balancing profit motives with societal benefit; respecting creative rights while democratizing creative tools; and navigating between elite expertise and public preference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Anderson noted in his final comment, the decisions Altman and his peers make in the coming years may have unprecedented impacts on humanity\u2019s future. Whether OpenAI can live up to its stated mission of ensuring \u201call of humanity benefits from artificial general intelligence\u201d remains to be seen.<\/p>\n<div id=\"boilerplate_2660155\" class=\"post-boilerplate boilerplate-after\"><div class=\"Boilerplate__newsletter-container vb\">\n<div class=\"Boilerplate__newsletter-main\">\n<p><strong>Daily insights on business use cases with VB Daily<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"copy\">If you want to impress your boss, VB Daily has you covered. We give you the inside scoop on what companies are doing with generative AI, from regulatory shifts to practical deployments, so you can share insights for maximum ROI.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Form__newsletter-legal\">Read our Privacy Policy<\/p>\n<p class=\"Form__success\" id=\"boilerplateNewsletterConfirmation\">\n\t\t\t\t\tThanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here.\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"Form__error\">An error occured.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"image-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venturebeat.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vb-news\/brand\/img\/vb-daily-phone.png\" alt=\"\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n<br>\r\n<br><a href=\"https:\/\/venturebeat.com\/ai\/sam-altman-at-ted-2025-inside-the-most-uncomfortable-and-important-ai-interview-of-the-year\/\">Source link <\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that his company has grown to 800 million weekly active users and is experiencing \u201cunbelievable\u201d growth rates, during a sometimes tense interview at the TED 2025 conference in Vancouver last week. 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