content: Not scared so much as wanting to approach it responsibly. That was one of the big motivations for this organization, backed by many of the biggest names in technology with a seeding of a billion dollars. In their own words:  Our goal is to advance digital intelligence in the way that is most likely to benefit humanity as a whole, unconstrained by a need to generate financial return. Since our research is free from financial obligations, we can better focus on a positive human impact. We believe AI should be an extension of individual human wills and, in the spirit of liberty, as broadly and evenly distributed as possible. ... Because of AI's surprising history, it's hard to predict when human-level AI might come within reach. When it does, it'll be important to have a leading research institution which can prioritize a good outcome for all over its own self-interest. We're hoping to grow OpenAI into such an institution. As a non-profit, our aim is to build value for everyone rather than shareholders.  Advanced AI and the automation it will enable are going to send us rocketing towards a dystopia or utopia. Leaving it purely in the hands of everybody just fighting and pushing it for their own self interest in far more likely to send us towards the former than the latter.