AI, "Humanity", and Dr. Manhattan Syndrome
The article discusses the disconnect between AI executives' lofty ideals about 'humanity' and their actual engagement with real people. It highlights a significant political donation made by OpenAI's president, Greg Brockman, and critiques the abstract way tech leaders often approach social issues. The author compares these executives to Dr. Manhattan from 'Watchmen', suggesting that their elevated perspective leads to a detachment from the individual struggles of people.
- ▪Greg Brockman, OpenAI's president, made a $25 million donation to MAGA Inc., one of the largest political donations of 2025.
- ▪The article critiques the tendency of tech executives to discuss 'humanity' in abstract terms while neglecting real people's issues.
- ▪The author compares AI executives to Dr. Manhattan, suggesting their elevated perspective leads to a disconnect from individual suffering.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
AI, "Humanity", and Dr. Manhattan SyndromeA communications interventionJim ProsserFeb 24, 20262658Share“If I’m to have a symbol, it shall be one I respect.”Back in January, it came to light via FEC reporting that OpenAI’s president and co-founder Greg Brockman and his wife had made a monumental $25 million donation to MAGA Inc. last September—one of the largest individual political donations of 2025.When interviewed by WIRED about his newfound political largesse, Brockman explained the check in rather grand terms. “This mission, in my mind, is bigger than companies, bigger than corporate structures,” he said. “We are embarking on a journey to develop this technology that’s going to be the most impactful thing humanity has ever created.”The word that sticks out to me here is “humanity”.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Hacker News (AI / LLM).
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