Gary Marcus Warns OpenAI May Turn to 24/7 Surveillance for Profit
On August 21, AI commentator Gary Marcus posted a series of messages warning that OpenAI is evolving into a "surveillance company." His core argument: for Microsoft and OpenAI to make generative AI profitable, the only viable path may be 24x7 around-the-clock surveillance of users.
Confirmed
- Citing multiple warnings he has issued over the past two years, Marcus said those predictions are coming true and urged the public not to ignore this trend.
- He listed Sam Altman's many ventures: Altman has publicly said he wants to train models on users' personal documents (Word, email, etc.); ChatGPT has collected unprecedented amounts of personal data; and Altman founded WorldCoin, known for its iris-scanning Orb.
- Among the latest events triggering the remarks: ChatGPT gained access to iMessage history and permission to send texts on users' behalf. Marcus reposted and commented that this matches his earlier prediction that "surveillance may be OpenAI's only viable business model"; the post he quoted noted that OpenAI has yet to achieve annual profitability and is pursuing funding paths such as an IPO (as recounted in the post).
- Marcus pointed out that OpenAI has refused to explicitly rule out surveilling citizens on behalf of the U.S. government.
Unconfirmed
- "Surveillance is OpenAI's only viable business model" is Marcus's personal opinion and speculation; OpenAI has not confirmed any such strategy, and there is no response from OpenAI in the cited material.
Why it matters
- The argument weaves OpenAI's data-collection practices (training on personal documents, iMessage access) together with its commercial pressures (unprofitability, funding needs) and Altman's other ventures (WorldCoin biometrics) into a surveillance narrative. If true, it would raise major privacy concerns; even as mere criticism, it reflects ongoing outside skepticism about how top AI companies monetize data.
2026-08-21 ~ 2026-08-21 · 5 related posts
Primary sources
- [source] Gary Marcus: Surveillance May Be OpenAI's Only Viable Business Model — GaryMarcus · 2026-08-21
- [source] Gary Marcus suggests OpenAI's profitability relies on mass surveillance — GaryMarcus · 2026-08-21
- Gary Marcus warns OpenAI might transform into a 24/7 surveillance company — GaryMarcus · 2026-08-21
- Gary Marcus Warns Altman Is Building a Panopticon of Your Personal Data — GaryMarcus · 2026-08-21
- [source] Gary Marcus accuses OpenAI of transforming into a surveillance company — GaryMarcus · 2026-08-21