Podcast #176 | Karen Hao: Author of Empire of AI on Why "Scale at All Costs" is Not Leading Us to a Good Place

Episode #176 of the Boardroom Governance Podcast was recorded live at the Stanford Graduate School of Business on May 29th, where Evan Epstein moderated a conversation with award-winning journalist and author Karen Hao. Her new book, Empire of AI, offers a gripping inside look at OpenAI and the global race for artificial intelligence supremacy.

They discussed the origins and evolution of OpenAI, including its initial nonprofit structure, the influential roles played by Sam Altman and Elon Musk, and the dramatic shift toward a for-profit model. They explored critical governance and control issues, analyzed the controversial concept of AI Empires, and unpacked the boardroom drama surrounding leadership disputes and investor dynamics after Sam Altman’s ouster.

Karen shared insights into ethical considerations in AI development, compared AI advancements between the U.S. and China, and discussed the urgent need for thoughtful regulation.

Finally, they touched on the powerful roles of community activism and offered recommendations for startups navigating the complex landscape of AI governance.

You can listen to the episode directly in the Boardroom Governance Podcast website (where you can find all the show notes), or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts such as in: Apple or Spotify.

You can also subscribe to the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at evanepstein.substack.com

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