Playwright Jeremy O. Harris Confronts OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at Vanity Fair Oscars Party

A heated exchange unfolded at the annual Vanity Fair Oscars after-party on Sunday night, as playwright Jeremy O. Harris confronted OpenAI CEO Sam Altman over the company’s recent deal with the Department of War. The incident, witnessed by numerous celebrities including Michael B. Jordan, Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, sparked a debate about the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and its potential military applications.

The Confrontation

According to reports from Page Six and News.am Style, Harris directly accused Altman of being a “Nazi” and the “[Joseph] Goebbels of the Trump administration” due to OpenAI’s partnership with the Department of War. Harris reportedly made the accusations while discussing OpenAI’s new contract with the Pentagon.

Though, Harris later clarified his statement, stating in an email that he “should’ve said Friedrich Flick,” a German industrialist who profited from his symbiotic relationship with the Nazi Party and was later convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg Trials. Page Six reported this clarification.

Altman reportedly responded calmly to the outburst, according to multiple sources. National Today noted Altman’s measured response.

Context: OpenAI and the Department of War

The controversy stems from OpenAI’s recent agreement to provide its AI technology to the Department of War for classified government systems. This deal has drawn criticism from various quarters, including OpenAI employees, raising concerns about the ethical implications of deploying AI in military contexts. National Today highlighted this as a key factor in the confrontation.

Harris’s Concerns and Artistic Parallel

Jeremy O. Harris’s concerns echo themes explored in Matthew Libby’s play, “Data,” currently running off-Broadway. The play centers on a coder who develops an algorithm for a secret government surveillance project, raising questions about the ethics of AI and the potential for abuse. As reported by Page Six, Harris drew a parallel between the fictional scenario in Libby’s play and the real-world implications of OpenAI’s partnership with the Department of War.

According to reporting by Maureen Dowd in the New York Times (as relayed by Page Six), Harris expressed his belief that knowingly allowing a dangerous technology to be adopted by society is inherently evil and that Altman is knowingly enabling global violence.

Altman’s Background

Notably, Sam Altman was ranked as the most influential Jew in the world by the Jerusalem Post in 2023, according to Page Six, a detail that underscores the complexity of the accusations leveled against him.

Key Takeaways

• Playwright Jeremy O. Harris publicly confronted OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at the Vanity Fair Oscars party.
• The confrontation stemmed from OpenAI’s recent deal with the Department of War.
• Harris initially accused Altman of being a “Nazi,” later clarifying his statement to reference Friedrich Flick.
• The incident highlights growing ethical concerns surrounding the use of AI in military applications.