The Singularity: Vision or Sales Pitch?
28 July 2026
Sam Altman recently made a striking claim: we are “now, like, in the singularity.”
But what exactly is the singularity, and why is it such a big deal? In tech circles, the singularity refers to a theoretical tipping point where artificial intelligence surpasses human cognitive abilities:
- Once this threshold is crossed, it triggers explosive, irreversible technological growth.
- On the flip side, critics warn that handing over such power could lead to extreme wealth concentration, lock up all societal value in the hands of a few tech giants, or even pose an existential threat to humanity.
When AI celebrities share such sweeping, epochal opinions, we must put on a critical lens. I try to do so often. We have to look past the hype and understand their underlying motivations, personalities, and the business realities driving their narratives.
I am currently reading Karen Hao’s deeply researched book, Empire of AI, and she provides a fascinating profile of Sam Altman that contextualizes his latest quote. Hao argues that Altman’s grandiose, utopian declarations aren’t just personal beliefs. They serve a highly strategic business purpose.
Sharing some insights I noted from her book:
Building a Religion, Not Just a Company: Altman understands the profound power of myth-making. Hao notes a quote from Altman in 2013 where he observed: “the most successful founders do not set out to create companies. They are on a mission to create something closer to a religion.”
By using terms like “the singularity,” Altman is possibly trying to elevate OpenAI’s mission into a world-saving crusade.
The “Reality Distortion Field”: Altman is a master storyteller with an uncanny ability to craft compelling narratives about the “grand, unstoppable trajectory of technology.” Investors and colleagues liken his persuasiveness to a Steve Jobs-style “reality distortion field”: an ability to tell a story about the future that overwhelms skepticism and makes people want to be part of it.
A Distraction from Present Harms: Painting the future as an “awesome” singularity may divert public and regulatory attention from the immediate costs of the current AI boom. Hao documents how the industry’s growth rests on massive extraction, from precarious data workers in the Global South to environmental costs and unauthorized scraping of artists’ and writers’ work. The comment could be leveraging hype as a tool for scale and power.
The singularity isn’t just a technological milestone. It’s a massive pitch. We all need to embrace second-order thinking to decipher the thought process behind the scenes.
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