Sam Altman Advocates for AI Progress, Says ‘Some Bad Things’ Are Acceptable

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman argues that some risks are acceptable for AI's benefits. He opposes strict regulation.

October 5, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — City, Country — OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has expressed his stance on AI development, suggesting that some negative consequences are an acceptable trade-off for the technology’s potential benefits.

In an interview with Politico’s Decoded, Altman criticized calls for stricter oversight of AI, particularly those from competitors like Anthropic. He emphasized the importance of making AI accessible to the public and maintaining a balance between innovation and risk.

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Altman argued that while he supports some level of oversight, such as external safety evaluations, he believes overregulation could hinder progress. He also acknowledged the need to avoid catastrophic outcomes but insisted that not all risks should be eliminated if they come at the cost of advancement.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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