The CEO of Cohere, an artificial intelligence (AI) startup, Aidan Gomez, has criticized the effective altruism movement in a letter addressed to the company’s staff.
In the letter, Gomez expressed his reservations about the movement’s perceived “self-righteousness” and cautioned against making hasty decisions driven by such ideologies. Bloomberg, on November 22, reported on the contents of the letter.
While Cohere initially did not respond to a request for comment from PYMNTS, a spokeswoman later verified the authenticity of the letter in a statement to Bloomberg. However, no further comments were provided by the company. The report highlighted the increasing involvement of Silicon Valley and the AI industry in the realm of effective altruism over the last decade. This movement is centered on maximizing benefits for humanity and often delves into the potential implications of AI technology. Notably, individuals associated with the OpenAI organization have shown support for this cause.
Gomez, as per the report, criticized the movement for its perceived extremism and self-serving nature. He raised concerns about individuals who believe they possess the ultimate ability to rescue or serve humanity, suggesting that they might resort to extreme measures to achieve their goals. The report also mentioned other critics who have voiced similar apprehensions about the movement, citing instances where prioritizing outcomes over methods has led to negative consequences such as fraud and abuse allegations.
In response to concerns raised by the group regarding potential risks associated with AI, Gomez affirmed that Cohere remains steadfast in pursuing its objectives without being swayed by doomsday scenarios or fears of AI-driven dystopias. Additionally, Gomez called out AI companies that have formed partnerships with cloud service providers. Despite the opportunity for significant financial backing from various cloud services, Cohere has opted not to accept funds with strings attached. The company is committed to maintaining its autonomy and avoiding dependencies on investors seeking to influence the direction of their investments.
Effective altruism, a concept long prevalent in the tech industry, gained wider recognition thanks to former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, as reported by PYMNTS on November 20.
