Sam Altman responds in detail to the Molotov cocktail attack: understanding public fears of AI, calling for decentralization of technological power

ME News message, on April 11 (UTC+8), this Friday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s residence in San Francisco was attacked with a Molotov cocktail. No injuries were reported, and the police have detained a suspect of about 20 years old. After the incident, Altman published a long post in response, rarely sharing family photos publicly, and said directly that he had underestimated the real impact of public narratives and emotions amid AI anxiety.

In the post, Altman said he understands society’s fear and unease about the rapid development of AI, saying that the present moment is “one of the most intense technological transformations in human history.” He said that the related risks are no longer confined to model alignment issues, but have risen into systemic challenges at the societal level. He emphasized that AI power should not be concentrated in a few institutions, and should be distributed more widely through technological democratization and institutional constraints.

In the personal reflection section, Altman acknowledged that there were mistakes in corporate governance and in handling conflicts, including problems with decision-making during conflicts with the board, and he apologized for past actions. At the same time, he reiterated that he had refused Elon Musk’s demand for control of OpenAI, saying that this choice ensured an independent development path for the company.

At the industry level, Altman pointed out that competition around AGI has evolved into a “power struggle,” and that the temptation of something like “the ring of power” could drive extreme behavior. The solution, he said, lies in expanding the accessibility of the technology and preventing a single actor from controlling key capabilities. The incident is seen as a representative case of AI-related social sentiment spilling over. With multiple overlapping anxieties—including job displacement, technological monopolies, and safety risks—the real risk of conflicts faced by AI companies is rising. Altman called for, while advancing technological development, lowering the intensity of societal confrontation, and cushioning the shock of transition through policies and institutional measures. (Source: BlockBeats)