The article argues that some AI leaders, especially Sam Altman and Alex Karp, are helping make the public more fearful of AI by emphasizing how disruptive or dangerous it could become, even while trying to sell it. It says that kind of messaging can serve business goals by making AI seem so powerful that only a small group of companies should be trusted to build it, which may appeal to investors and large customers more than ordinary consumers. Axios notes that public opinion is already weak, with AI viewed negatively by many voters, and warns that nonstop doomsday rhetoric could fuel stronger backlash or regulation. At the same time, the piece acknowledges that some executives may be speaking honestly about real risks, but its main point is that selling AI through fear could eventually make the public less willing to embrace it.

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