3 minute readnew delhiUpdated: February 12, 2026 01:33 PM (IST)
Artificial intelligence (AI) and its possibilities are taking countless industries by storm. From job loss to impact on cognitive skills, the rapid advancement of AI tools has experts concerned about what the future holds. Hieu Pham, an engineer at OpenAI, recently sparked a debate about the meaning of AI.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Pham holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Stanford University. He also earned a PhD in machine learning from Carnegie Mellon University. Joined Elon Musk’s xAI in 2024. Joined OpenAI in 2025.
In a post on X, Pham wrote, “Today I finally felt the existential threat that AI is posing. What will humans be left with when AI becomes too good and disrupts everything? And it’s not a matter of if, but when.”
See post here:
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The post quickly gained attention and sparked a discussion about AI and its shortcomings. “Every major technology change, from the printing press to the internet, felt raison d’être at first. AI replaces tasks, not goals. Humans adapt, as we have always done,” the user wrote.
“Whatever we want. Our value to society will no longer be based on how much money we can make for the landed class (or its modern equivalent), but instead we will be able to define something new and potentially beautiful,” another user commented. “Hobby. People don’t have time for hobbies these days. At least I think most people feel that way. I think curiosity is something people need to relearn,” a third user responded.
Mrinak Sharma, Anthropic’s head of AI safety, recently submitted his resignation. “I am always aware of our situation. The world is at risk, and posed not just by AI and biological weapons, but by a series of interconnected crises that are unfolding at this moment. We seem to be approaching a threshold where we must grow in wisdom as much as in our ability to influence the world, lest we face the consequences,” Sharma wrote in the post.
