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OpenAI Might Launch a Social Network - Here's Why That's Scary
Fresh off a jaw-dropping $40 billion funding round, OpenAI is reportedly mulling something big. And, if you really think about it, a little unnerving.
The AI powerhouse might be gearing up to create its very own social media platform. That's right: a network fueled by one of the most advanced AI companies on earth.
What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
According to CNBC, OpenAI is exploring ways to break into social media, hoping to rival big players like Elon Musk’s X and Meta’s Instagram. While still very much at the drawing board, the idea isn't completely out of nowhere. Lately, OpenAI’s new image-generation tools have gone viral, inspiring a tsunami of AI-made anime selfies, hyper-polished headshots, and wild art that's been shared across TikTok and X. Even OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, jumped in, briefly switching his X profile pic to an AI-crafted image.
The feature proved so popular it overwhelmed OpenAI's servers shortly after launch, forcing temporary limits. Apparently, there’s serious demand for quick, hyper-realistic, AI-spun content - and OpenAI smells an opportunity.
Where It All Gets A Bit Dystopian
Until recently, OpenAI sold itself as a nonprofit research lab dedicated to making artificial intelligence safe and open for everyone. Fast forward to today, and it's chasing profitability harder than some Wall Street banks. In that context, building its own massive social media platform suddenly makes all kinds of (commercial) sense. They’d get their own arena to monetise AI creations directly, sidestepping platform partners, policies, and profit splits. And let’s face it - with AI baked into every post, profile, and ad, a network like this could make Facebook’s algorithms look quaint.
If you're thinking this sounds like Silicon Valley déjà vu - corporations scrambling for user data and attention like kids diving after candy - you’re not alone. What sets OpenAI apart (and not in a good way) is its weaponisation of cutting-edge generative AI, combined with little historical oversight and increasingly complex company governance.
Despite being the tech darling of the moment, OpenAI's house isn't exactly in order. Its ownership structure - still officially nonprofit with a capped-profit subsidiary - is messy and fragile. Massive players like SoftBank and Microsoft are now investing tens of billions in OpenAI, and in turn, exerting massive influence. To fully transition into a straightforward for-profit company, OpenAI will need to navigate an obstacle course of regulatory approval and bitter lawsuits (including one currently led by Musk).
A New AI Reality?
Even so, there’s no mistaking the company’s ambition. Altman’s sprawling AI infrastructure project "Stargate" is gearing up for deployment. Massive profits are calling. The incentive to launch an OpenAI-branded platform - where they own everything from the data you share to the content you post, generated or not - might prove too strong to resist.
The kicker? OpenAI started out aiming to make AI safe and beneficial for humanity. If it’s about to become the beating heart of a new hyper-AI-powered social ecosystem - the very place most people spend their time and consume information - what kind of power shift are we really facing?
It’s not just about likes and follows anymore. If OpenAI pulls this off, it could own not just how we talk, but even the words, faces, and images we use to do it.
Ready or not, a new AI reality might be about to go social.