Topline
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said Muslim colleagues in the tech industry “feel uncomfortable” speaking up about recent events over fears of retaliation, in social media posts outlining concerns about the rise of Islamophobia and antisemitism at workplaces amid the war in Gaza.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said Muslim and Arab tech workers were unable to speak up on recent events ... [+]
Key Facts
In a post on X, Altman wrote that in recent conversations with “Muslim and Arab (especially Palestinian) colleagues in the tech community,” he learned they were fearful of speaking out “out of fear of retaliation and damaged career prospects.”
Altman called on the tech industry to be united in support of these colleagues in this “atrocious time” and urged empathy.
Responding to a question about his Jewish colleagues, the OpenAI CEO, who is Jewish, said he believes antisemitism “is a significant and growing problem in the world.”
Altman said he has seen many people in the industry “sticking up” for him on the issue of antisemitism, which he said he appreciated, but added he saw “much less of that for Muslims.”
Responding to a claim that ChatGPT makes jokes about Jewish people but not about Muslims, the OpenAI CEO said “both or neither should be allowed, of course.”
News Peg
Altman’s posts come amid growing concerns about the rise of Islamophobia and antisemitism around the U.S.—including in workplaces. In December, the Council on American-Islamic Relations reported 2,171 complaints of anti-Muslim or anti-Palestinian acts since the start of the war—a 172% rise over previous years. During the same period, the Anti-Defamation League reported a 337% rise in antisemitic incidents around the country. In total, the ADL recorded 2,031 antisemitic incidents between October 7 and December 7 last year—up from 465 incidents during the same period in 2022.
Key Background
Top executives in Silicon Valley have largely shied away from commenting on the war in Gaza, although some expressed condolences over Hamas’ terror attack on Israel in October. Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk visited Israel in November after coming under fire for promoting antisemitism on his social media platform.The billionaire met with Benjamin Netanyahu and agreed with the Israeli prime minister that Hamas should also be eradicated from online spaces. Musk called for a stop to “propaganda that is convincing people to engage in murder,” and added: “Those that are intent on murder must be neutralized.”
Further Reading
For Arabs in Tech, a Time of Fear and a Culture of Silence (The Information)
