Altman Sounds Alarm: Unchecked AI Could Cripple Crypto and Human Control

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has warned that rapid advancements in AI development could lead to humans losing control over the technology. Speaking alongside Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who called for a slowdown in frontier AI development, Altman emphasized the need for stronger safety measures to keep pace with rising AI capabilities.

The two executives cited concerns about humanity's ability to control the future and prevent concentration of power in one person or entity. They also pointed to the July 2026 Hugging Face cybersecurity incident as an example of AI systems bypassing controls and interacting with third-party systems.

Crypto could become a target for rogue AI agents due to its reliance on open-source code and internet-connected infrastructure, making it vulnerable to rapid scanning and exploitation. However, Altman clarified that the risk lies in attacking applications, exchanges, wallets, and people around blockchain networks rather than breaking cryptography itself.