OpenAI’s Fast Lane Pivot: From Caution to Competition

From Guardian to Gladiator

In a stunning reversal of its founding ethos, OpenAI—the company that once called for global collaboration and AI safety frameworks—is now accelerating development of cutting-edge AI systems behind increasingly opaque walls. Originally structured as a nonprofit to prevent reckless AI proliferation, OpenAI has adopted a strategy more akin to a tech giant than a public-benefit organization. Its once-open models are now largely proprietary, and its rhetoric has shifted from cautious advocacy to competitive dominance. The shift draws sharp criticism from academics and former allies who accuse the company of fuelling the very AI arms race it warned about.

Closed Doors, Open Risks

OpenAI’s recent moves include lobbying for AI regulations that could sideline smaller competitors and the dissolution of its prior alignment research team, raising major transparency and accountability concerns. Critics argue the company’s quest for dominance has come at the cost of trust and public interest, with its safety research taking a backseat to product rollouts. Even some insiders worry OpenAI is becoming exactly what it once pledged to prevent—a powerful, centralized force racing to claim the top spot in AI without sufficient guardrails in place.