In The News How the race for total AI domination is revisiting the worst of human history
Jan 3, 2026
This podcast features Karen Hao, an engineer, journalist, and AI expert known for her book 'Empire of AI,' which explores the hidden costs of large-scale AI. Hao shares insights from her time at OpenAI, revealing its secretive practices and the dark side of AI development. She discusses the serious human toll on content moderators, the environmental impact of data centers, and the similarities between current AI empires and historical ones. With a critical lens, she warns about the profit-driven motives overshadowing altruistic claims in the race for AI dominance.
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Content Moderation Devastated A Worker’s Life
- Karen Hao describes Kenyan contractors who read horrific sexual content to train moderation filters and suffered severe psychological harm.
- One worker, Moffat Okine, became withdrawn and lost his family after the job transformed his personality.
AI's Hidden Environmental Burden
- Large AI models require historic levels of data-centre capacity and energy, sometimes rivaling entire cities' consumption.
- Companies also tap scarce fresh water for cooling, competing with local communities' drinking supplies.
Nonprofit Origins, Empire Outcome
- OpenAI began as a nonprofit with a stated mission to benefit humanity while positioning itself against closed, profit-driven firms.
- Over time its scale and capital needs transformed it into a de facto empire valued at hundreds of billions.