Karen Hao: Author of Empire of AI on Why "Scale at All Costs" is Not Leading Us to a Good Place

This special episode was recorded live at the Stanford Graduate School of Business on May 29th, where I moderated a conversation with award-winning journalist and author Karen Hao. Her new book, Empire of AI, offers a gripping inside look at OpenAI and the global race for artificial intelligence supremacy. We discussed the origins and evolution of OpenAI, including its initial nonprofit structure, the influential roles played by Sam Altman and Elon Musk, and the dramatic shift toward a for-profit model. We explored critical governance and control issues, analyzed the controversial concept of AI Empires, and unpacked the boardroom drama surrounding leadership disputes and investor dynamics after Sam Altman’s ouster. Karen shared insights into ethical considerations in AI development, compared AI advancements between the U.S. and China, and discussed the urgent need for thoughtful regulation. Finally, we touched on the powerful roles of community activism and offered recommendations for startups navigating the complex landscape of AI governance. Thanks again to Professor Anat Admati, Tina Mondragon, and my student Celine Lee Vendler from Stanford's Corporations and Society Initiative (CASI) for the invitation, and for letting me post this recording on my podcast series. If you like this show, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing this podcast on social media. You can find all the show notes on the website boardroom-governance.com, and please feel free to subscribe to the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at evanepstein.substack.com This episode is sponsored by the American College of Governance Counsel.