Are we still fooling ourselves into believing that companies like OpenAI have humanity’s best interests at heart, or is it simply a lucrative scam?

The Hidden Reality Behind AI Industry Promises: Profit Over Humanity?

In recent discussions surrounding artificial intelligence, it’s become increasingly clear that claims of AI’s benevolent intentions are often just marketing spin. While corporations like OpenAI tout their missions as benefiting humanity—aiming to cure diseases, tackle climate change, or improve global well-being—the underlying motive appears to be far less altruistic.

All too often, these narratives echo familiar refrains—promises of a future where AI solves all our biggest problems. However, history offers a stark reminder: similar justifications have been used in less noble contexts, such as geopolitical conflicts. Take the invasion of Ukraine, for instance, where official claims of protecting minority groups veiled ambitions of territorial conquest and resource acquisition.

The AI industry is no different. Companies proclaim to be non-profit entities driven by the goal of elevating human life. They suggest that monetary profits will eventually be irrelevant in a “post-scarcity future.” But beneath this idealistic facade, the reality is driven primarily by financial gain. The race to develop and deploy large language models (LLMs) is motivated by the prospect of massive profits—profits that often come at the expense of safety, ethics, and broader societal well-being.

Initially, organizations like OpenAI invested heavily in responsible research, safety measures, and cautious experimentation—dedicated to ensuring AI’s benefits would be widespread and safe. Over time, however, this approach shifted. The focus zeroed in on scaling up model sizes and datasets—efforts that quickly proved lucrative for large corporations capable of monetizing these powerful tools. As a result, safety teams were sidelined or disbanded to accelerate development, and openness in research was curtailed, replaced by secrecy and proprietary control.

The core driver behind this shift is clear: these technologies hold immense profit potential. Instead of aiming to cure diseases or combat climate crises, many of these corporations see AI as a means to reduce labor costs and maximize earnings—often at the expense of workers’ livelihoods. Ordinary people, who once had stable jobs, are now facing displacement, while the promise of a future “post-scarcity” world seems increasingly unattainable.

This relentless pursuit of monetary gain has led to a stark reality: the prioritization of shareholder wealth over societal welfare. Public research is often under wraps, safety protocols are minimized, and the human cost is ignored. Instead, billions of lives are affected—jobs lost, opportunities diminished—yet the focus remains on