Generative artificial intelligence has transformed our inboxes, classrooms and even medical records—but at what cost? In this episode, journalist Karen Hao joins Scientific American to discuss her new book Empire of AI, exploring how companies like OpenAI wield power that is reminiscent of historical empires. From ideological quests for artificial general intelligence to the environmental toll of massive data centers, Hao reveals the hidden forces shaping our technological future—and the reasons we should all be paying attention.

Recommended Reading:

OpenAI’s Secrets are Revealed in Empire of AI

Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI. Karen Hao. Penguin Press, 2025 

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Science Quickly is produced by Kendra Pierre-Louis, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

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