After attacks on Altman's home, experts see parallels to Industrial Revolution (fortune.com)

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's San Francisco home has been attacked twice in quick succession, first by a Molotov cocktail and then gunfire, highlighting a troubling rise in anti-AI sentiment. The suspect in the Molotov attack, who had expressed fears that AI could lead to human extinction, allegedly intended to kill Altman. This surge in violence against AI figures comes alongside broader public discontent with AI technologies, particularly from those in creative industries and local communities affected by data centers, which are criticized for their resource consumption and potential job losses. Experts, including economist Aleksandar Tomic, draw parallels between this current backlash and the upheaval experienced during the Second Industrial Revolution, suggesting that rapid technological progress is outpacing institutional responses and causing societal anxiety. Tomic emphasizes that public sentiment is shifting, with a recent survey indicating that over half of respondents globally feel uneasy about AI. In response to rising fears, Altman advocates for thoughtful policy discussions and a balanced approach to the development of AI, urging a reduction in inflammatory rhetoric as society grapples with vast economic and social transformations driven by AI advancements.