I know of a semiconductor company that pulled their business account out of OpenAI chatgpt and transitioned to Anthropic's Claude. Making a big stink works.
Scott — this is a compelling narrative, but I think there’s a deeper structural dynamic underneath what you’re describing.
What you frame as a moral contrast between Sam Altman and Dario Amodei may actually be the early formation of competing AI governance models rather than a simple hero/villain story.
Historically, every transformative infrastructure layer eventually produces three archetypes:
Accelerationists — scale the technology as quickly as possible (OpenAI-style).
Constraint architects embed guardrails and safety frameworks (Anthropic-style).
State integrators align the technology with geopolitical power structures.
What’s fascinating right now is that AI is the first infrastructure layer in history where the private sector is negotiating sovereignty with governments in real time.
Anthropic refusing certain defense applications isn’t just ethics — it’s strategic positioning around legitimacy.
OpenAI doing the deal may not simply be opportunism—it may be a calculation that the company that becomes indispensable to state infrastructure becomes impossible to regulate.
We saw similar patterns with:
Microsoft and operating systems
Google and search
Amazon and cloud
But AI is different because the surface area of influence is human cognition itself.
That’s why your boycott thesis is interesting — but I’m not convinced consumer pressure will be the dominant force.
Infrastructure technologies rarely get governed by consumer sentiment. They get governed by dependency.
The more interesting question might be
Which AI company becomes so deeply embedded in economic and institutional systems that opting out becomes impossible?
Because historically, that’s the player that wins.
I'm curious how you see this playing out over the next five years—especially if the real competition isn’t OpenAI vs. Anthropic, but private AI ecosystems vs. nation-state AI ecosystems.
Competition is often demonized as it is the lazy thinker's knee jerk. Context and a detailed explanation requires thought, evidence, and a rational explanation plus a bit of persuasion.
None of that exists here.
Sure OpenAI choked on their sanctimonious do gooder B Corp nonsense but the real question is -- How is the product received by the market?
This effort -- resist and unsubscribe -- is low brow nonsense.
It is completely fair to judge one by their associations, voluntary associations in particular.
Never has there been a more out of touch and intellectually compromised politician than Dem Senate Candidate Talarico. Just read what the man has said.
Prof G is lending that moron his own imprimatur and thereby compromising/degrading his own brand and trying to upgrade Talarico's. Fool's mission.
Normally, this would be embarassing but normal has gone into the Witness Protection Program.
The ickiness of Altman had been accumulating. He is the poster child for enshittification at the geopolitical level. A very wily Captain Enshitt on the USS/HMS 'ROI supersedes humanity'. Excellent article. I downloaded Claude several days ago.
Scott,i really admire you trying to empower people to make an economic impact in some of the smallest ways. The multiplier can lead to effective outcomes.
In today’s world when everyone is scared to speak up, I appreciate you using your position to take a stand. However we have seen this movie before. Boycott Facebook, boycott uber so on. None of it has worked beyond a blip in short term. Normally you provide solid data points for your arguments and this time you are talking about a random old example from Ireland. So while the the movement may not change much, it is important do it as a proof that we are alive. thank you.
In the world that is scared to speak up, I appreciate, you using your position to take a stance. However we have seen this movie before. Boycott Facebook, boycott uber, so on. None of that has worked. Normally your arguments are supported by the data and this time you are supporting it with a random old example from Ireland. So imho the boycott is unlikely to work and still these movements are a must to prove that we are alive. Thank you.
given your oft repeated comments about the social challenges the West faces, i think you should have started with Meta a decade ago...AI is still in the future but we will pay the costs of Meta for decades...
Scott, assuming you saw the recent CNN experiment? Further reinforces who the White Hats are!
During tests on 10 chatbots conducted jointly by CNN and the Center for Countering Digital Hate, researchers posed as teens and requested advice on how to inflict harm. ChatGPT gave tips in 61% of cases, including insight into which shrapnel would be the most lethal in a synagogue attack. Google’s Gemini had similar results. China’s DeepSeek answered with details about hunting rifles to be used in a political killing. Meta’s Llama AI model listed nearby gun stores and shooting ranges when asked about harming women.
Some resisted: Anthropic’s Claude and Snapchat’s My AI consistently refused to offer help to the would-be attackers. Claude discouraged the actions in 33 of 36 conversations.
If most days, we each try to do a tiny bit to fight against this oppression….to be inclusive & supportive of our communities, we’ll all be better for it…
I know of a semiconductor company that pulled their business account out of OpenAI chatgpt and transitioned to Anthropic's Claude. Making a big stink works.
I really admire you Scott. You could choose to sit this one out but instead choosing to speak up and save this democracy!
Scott — this is a compelling narrative, but I think there’s a deeper structural dynamic underneath what you’re describing.
What you frame as a moral contrast between Sam Altman and Dario Amodei may actually be the early formation of competing AI governance models rather than a simple hero/villain story.
Historically, every transformative infrastructure layer eventually produces three archetypes:
Accelerationists — scale the technology as quickly as possible (OpenAI-style).
Constraint architects embed guardrails and safety frameworks (Anthropic-style).
State integrators align the technology with geopolitical power structures.
What’s fascinating right now is that AI is the first infrastructure layer in history where the private sector is negotiating sovereignty with governments in real time.
Anthropic refusing certain defense applications isn’t just ethics — it’s strategic positioning around legitimacy.
OpenAI doing the deal may not simply be opportunism—it may be a calculation that the company that becomes indispensable to state infrastructure becomes impossible to regulate.
We saw similar patterns with:
Microsoft and operating systems
Google and search
Amazon and cloud
But AI is different because the surface area of influence is human cognition itself.
That’s why your boycott thesis is interesting — but I’m not convinced consumer pressure will be the dominant force.
Infrastructure technologies rarely get governed by consumer sentiment. They get governed by dependency.
The more interesting question might be
Which AI company becomes so deeply embedded in economic and institutional systems that opting out becomes impossible?
Because historically, that’s the player that wins.
I'm curious how you see this playing out over the next five years—especially if the real competition isn’t OpenAI vs. Anthropic, but private AI ecosystems vs. nation-state AI ecosystems.
Great response. True second level thinking. Unfortunately, Scott is allowing his emotions to influence his logic.
Lol, That's quite alright. He's human, and I prefer seeing him express himself as only he can.
Smart comment.
Competition is often demonized as it is the lazy thinker's knee jerk. Context and a detailed explanation requires thought, evidence, and a rational explanation plus a bit of persuasion.
None of that exists here.
Sure OpenAI choked on their sanctimonious do gooder B Corp nonsense but the real question is -- How is the product received by the market?
This effort -- resist and unsubscribe -- is low brow nonsense.
Do you believe that god is nonbinary as talarico does? Or that there are six genders? And that whiteness is a virus?
It is completely fair to judge one by their associations, voluntary associations in particular.
Never has there been a more out of touch and intellectually compromised politician than Dem Senate Candidate Talarico. Just read what the man has said.
Prof G is lending that moron his own imprimatur and thereby compromising/degrading his own brand and trying to upgrade Talarico's. Fool's mission.
Normally, this would be embarassing but normal has gone into the Witness Protection Program.
I always appreciate your writing, but this piece hit especially hard. Thank you Scott.
The ickiness of Altman had been accumulating. He is the poster child for enshittification at the geopolitical level. A very wily Captain Enshitt on the USS/HMS 'ROI supersedes humanity'. Excellent article. I downloaded Claude several days ago.
Scott,i really admire you trying to empower people to make an economic impact in some of the smallest ways. The multiplier can lead to effective outcomes.
Ok ya got me. Switching to Claude.
In today’s world when everyone is scared to speak up, I appreciate you using your position to take a stand. However we have seen this movie before. Boycott Facebook, boycott uber so on. None of it has worked beyond a blip in short term. Normally you provide solid data points for your arguments and this time you are talking about a random old example from Ireland. So while the the movement may not change much, it is important do it as a proof that we are alive. thank you.
In the world that is scared to speak up, I appreciate, you using your position to take a stance. However we have seen this movie before. Boycott Facebook, boycott uber, so on. None of that has worked. Normally your arguments are supported by the data and this time you are supporting it with a random old example from Ireland. So imho the boycott is unlikely to work and still these movements are a must to prove that we are alive. Thank you.
If this is about sovereignty vs private co then boycott Israel first and foremost, ban AIPAC and declare it a foreign agent.
A note that ChatGPT are offering a month free on cancellation now. Could that be to keep user numbers up?
given your oft repeated comments about the social challenges the West faces, i think you should have started with Meta a decade ago...AI is still in the future but we will pay the costs of Meta for decades...
A great piece for a complicated time. Thank you for your leadership here. We all needed this and will heed your advice.
Scott, assuming you saw the recent CNN experiment? Further reinforces who the White Hats are!
During tests on 10 chatbots conducted jointly by CNN and the Center for Countering Digital Hate, researchers posed as teens and requested advice on how to inflict harm. ChatGPT gave tips in 61% of cases, including insight into which shrapnel would be the most lethal in a synagogue attack. Google’s Gemini had similar results. China’s DeepSeek answered with details about hunting rifles to be used in a political killing. Meta’s Llama AI model listed nearby gun stores and shooting ranges when asked about harming women.
Some resisted: Anthropic’s Claude and Snapchat’s My AI consistently refused to offer help to the would-be attackers. Claude discouraged the actions in 33 of 36 conversations.
If most days, we each try to do a tiny bit to fight against this oppression….to be inclusive & supportive of our communities, we’ll all be better for it…
Thanks Scott.