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Date: March 08, 2024

Sam Altman has been captured carrying a blue colored backpack that holds the power to shut down ChatGPT in case of an apocalypse.

Sam Altman, the maker of OpenAI’s ChatGPT platform, is often seen carrying his blue-colored bag, now famously known as The Nuclear Backpack. The Nuclear backpack holds his laptop with the codes to save the world if AI suddenly goes out of control.

fun fact: Sam Altman always carries this "nuclear backpack" he can use to remotely detonate data centers if GPT goes rogue pic.twitter.com/fTSNA5I9Mr — BioBootloader (@bio_bootloader) February 11, 2023

The Twitter user who posted this tweet stated that the nuclear backpack could remotely detonate all the data centers if ChatGPT chooses to go the other way from world harmony.

Can AI Destroy the World?

The fear around the dangers of AI is real, and with the speed at which AI development is advancing, it will only keep growing. By understanding the current capabilities of AI because we have only scratched the surface of what it can do, we can not eliminate the probability of a possible world apocalypse triggered solely by AI. Multiple governments have been urged by the world’s top business leaders and influencers to put strict regulations on the development of AI.

Also Read: Best news apps for latest technology and global updates.

Why Are We Afraid of AI?

Artificial Intelligence has not reached the same level of intellect as human intelligence. But even at this stage, we have seen multiple instances of it going rogue in subtle ways, like lying, hiding facts, and ignoring controversial queries. This is happening when AI is still in its budding stage. Recent studies around building AI capabilities that mimic human behavior have revealed that the sentient nature of AI is quite possible.

Is Sam Altman Our Savior?

Sam Altman, the visionary behind the Artificial Intelligence company OpenAI, also carries its undo button in his backpack. This backpack has the same importance as the United States President’s nuclear briefcase in an emergency. In terms of AI, it is more crucial to be safe than sorry. Because AI can access a global technology network for its motive before we know its reasons. 

Sam Altman told The New Yorker about the elements he keeps in his backpack to stay safe in case of an Apocalypse, and not only the one by AI, “Weapons, gold, potassium iodide, antibiotics, batteries, water, gas masks from the Israel Defense Forces and a large piece of land in the South where he can fly.”

Seeing Sam Altman carry his nuclear backpack everywhere is another sign of him accepting the risks associated with AI and proactively keeping himself equipped to curb the damage his product may cause. But the step he has taken itself gives us the comfort that the development of AI is in the responsible hands of a person ready to sacrifice it all to save humanity from AI’s wrath.

By Arpit Dubey

Arpit is a dreamer, wanderer, and a tech nerd who loves to jot down tech musings and updates. With a logician mind, he is always chasing sunrises and tech advancements while secretly preparing for the robot uprising.