Sam Altman confident AI industry can manage safety risks

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed confidence that the AI industry can manage safety risks during a speech at Salesforce's Dreamforce conference in San Francisco on Tuesday. Altman acknowledged public concerns about AI risks but emphasized the industry's capability to develop the technology safely. He noted that "some degree of accidents are unavoidable with new technology across the industry." Altman compared AI to "fire from the gods," suggesting the world is on the brink of a third wave of AI advancements, following chatbots and coding agents, where AI can proactively assist people. He highlighted the need for caution, citing social media as an example of technology with both benefits and negative societal impacts, particularly on young people. Altman also mentioned the inertia in human work, indicating it will take years for AI to be fully integrated into the workforce.