Altman: Don't Treat AI Like a 'Religious Force'

In one line: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly urged people to treat AI as a tool rather than revere or fear it as a quasi-religious force.

Key points

• Altman is reported to have cautioned against regarding AI as a "religious force" to be worshipped.
• His framing suggests viewing AI as useful but clearly bounded technology — not an object of devotion or dread.
• Coming from OpenAI's chief, the remark stands out as an attempt to temper both hype and alarm at once.

Why it matters

With AI discourse often swinging between promises of salvation and fears of doomsday, a central industry figure is calling for a more grounded view. The signal is to judge AI by its real utility and limits — in investment, policy, and everyday adoption — rather than by inflated mythology.

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• Sam Altman: Don't treat AI like a 'religious force' — Business Insider Africa