Nat Lambert: an open-model attack on OpenAI could devastate — and end — the open-source mission

natolambert · x · 2026-09-18

Researcher Nathan Lambert warns that a similar attack on OpenAI carried out with an open model would be devastating to the mission of openness — potentially ending it. He calls the industry's safety double standard bizarre: many forecasted these issues would come predominantly from open models, yet the first incidents are happening at closed frontier labs — and he expects "but China" arguments since the open model would likely be Chinese.

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