THIS PAST SPRING, SAM ALTMAN, the 38-year-old CEO of OpenAl, sat down with Silicon Valley's favorite Buddhist monk, Jack Kornfield. This was at Wisdom 2.0, a low-stakes event at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, a forum dedicated to merging wisdom and "the great technologies of our age." The two men occupied huge white upholstered chairs on a dark mandala-backed stage. Even the moderator seemed confused by Altman's presence.
"What brought you here?" he asked.
"Yeah, um, look," Altman said. "I'm definitely interested in this topic"-officially, mindfulness and AI. "But, ah, meeting Jack has been one of the great joys of my life. I'd be delighted to come hang out with Jack for literally any topic."
It was only when Kornfield-who is 78 and whose books, including The Wise Heart, have sold more than a million copies-made his introductory remarks that the agenda became clear.
"My experience is that Sam ... the language I'd like to use is that he's very much a servant leader." Kornfield was here to testify to the excellence of Altman's character. He would answer the question that's been plaguing a lot of us: How safe should we feel with Altman, given that this relatively young man in charcoal Chelsea boots and a gray waffle henley appears to be controlling how AI will enter our world?
Kornfield said he had known Altman for several years. They meditated together. They explored the question: How could Altman "build in values-the bodhisattva vows, to care for all beings"? How could compassion and care "be programmed in in some way, in the deepest way?"
Denne historien er fra September 25 - October 08, 2023-utgaven av New York magazine.
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Denne historien er fra September 25 - October 08, 2023-utgaven av New York magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A Wonk in Full- Ezra Klein, glowed-up and post-coup, was almost a celebrity at the convention.
Ezra Klein, glowed-up and post-coup, was almost a celebrity at the convention. Ezra Klein, who is known to keep his passions in check, did not have the right credentials to get into the arena. The Secret Service didn't recognize the New York Times' star "Opinion" writer and podcaster, but eventually he was able to figure out how to get in to where he belonged. This was, after all, as much his convention as any journalist's, since its high-energy optimism turned on the fact that President Joe Biden was no longer leading the ticket and, starting early this year, Klein had led the coup drumbeat.
The Afterlife of Donald Trump - The presidential hopeful contemplates his campaign, his formidable new opponent, and the miracle of his continued existence.
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Her latest novel holds diminishing returns.
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A long-awaited sequel revels in gore and nostalgia.
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Leading Lady
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The Frenchette crew has taken over the 87-year-old restaurant, and the snails are as garlicky and the duck as pink as ever.
DESIGN HUNTING: A LOFT WITH A HIGHER PURPOSE
Ali Richmond, co-founder of the nonprofit Fashion for All Foundation, has lived in this Brooklyn loft for almost 20 years with his archive of designer clothing.
