Books Empire of AI Book by Karen Hao

"Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI" by Karen Hao is a deeply reported and critical examination of the rise and transformation of OpenAI. Released in 2025, the book explores how OpenAI evolved from an idealistic nonprofit research organization into a powerful corporate empire in the AI industry, backed by massive investments like those from Microsoft. Hao draws parallels between OpenAI’s expansion and historical colonial empires, highlighting a culture of secrecy, devotion to the promise of artificial general intelligence (AGI), and the concentration of global influence within Silicon Valley while extracting resources and labor worldwide.

The book is based on extensive investigative journalism, including interviews with over 260 people and insider accounts from OpenAI employees. It covers OpenAI’s internal culture, leadership conflicts—such as the dramatic CEO firing of Sam Altman—and the ethical, environmental, and social impacts of AI development on communities from Kenya to Chile.

Throughout, Hao critiques the messianic rhetoric OpenAI uses to justify its dominant role, exposing tensions between its stated mission to benefit all humanity and the commercial pressures driving its priorities. The narrative blends corporate drama, global perspectives on AI’s consequences, and a careful analysis of the tech industry's power dynamics.

"Empire of AI" is praised for its rigorous reporting and accessible writing that reveals uncomfortable truths behind one of the most influential tech companies, though some note its consistently critical tone and analogy to empire-building might overshadow nuances about AI's potential benefits. It offers essential insights for readers wanting to understand the forces shaping artificial intelligence’s future from both the Silicon Valley command center and the global ground level impacted by AI technologies.