OpenAI's Altman takes jabs at Anthropic at Morgan Stanley tech conference

During the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman expressed concerns over rival Anthropic, suggesting that a retreat from democratic principles by companies poses a threat to society. He asserted, "The government should hold more power than private firms," emphasizing the need for responsible corporate behavior. Recent tensions have escalated between Anthropic and the Department of Defense (DoD), particularly regarding the use of its AI models. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth labeled Anthropic a "Supply-Chain Risk to National Security," a statement shared on social media. Furthermore, former President Donald Trump instructed federal agencies to halt all usage of Anthropic's technology. In a swift response, Altman revealed that OpenAI had secured its own agreement with the DoD shortly after Anthropic faced backlash. He acknowledged the timing of OpenAI’s announcement might have appeared "opportunistic and sloppy," but insisted that the goal was to mitigate the escalating conflict. Altman noted, "As things began to escalate, we recognized the potential for serious fallout." Founded in 2015 as a nonprofit, OpenAI gained significant attention following the release of its ChatGPT chatbot in 2022. The company has since evolved into one of the fastest-growing commercial entities, boasting a $110 billion funding round recently valued at $730 billion pre-money. As of February, ChatGPT reportedly serves over 900 million weekly users, up from 800 million in October. The competitive landscape is fierce, with OpenAI vying against Anthropic and tech giants like Google for market dominance and user acquisition.