The ousting of Sam Altman from OpenAI has captured cultural attention.

The lights dimmed as five actors took their places around a table on an improvised stage inside an art gallery in New York, which that night transformed into a theater. With wine and water flowing in the intimate space, the room, packed with media representatives, was set to witness the premiere of "Doomers," the latest play by Matthew Gasda, loosely inspired by the ousting of Sam Altman as CEO of OpenAI in November 2023.

The play dramatizes the events that unfolded following Ilya Sutskever's announcement, co-founder of OpenAI and former chief scientist, informing Altman of his dismissal—a decision made by the board due to concerns related to AI safety management and the CEO’s possible toxic behavior. Despite the evident extensive research Gasda undertook to represent that night, the playwright clarified that his aim was not to create a documentary but to use that context as a microcosm to address broader philosophical questions about AI safety and alignment.

For centuries, humanity has forged myths and legends around its great inventions and the dangers that stem from its pursuits. Just like Prometheus stealing fire or Oppenheimer splitting the atom, humans cannot resist the allure of their own inventions. With Gasda's work, the arts lend their voice to the philosophical discussion surrounding rapid technological innovation, incorporating technology and its protagonists into the social imagination. Gasda expressed that, although the humanities and the arts may lack financial and technological clout, they have the right to represent this world.

In Gasda's script, the fictional company is called MindMesh, and its volatile, egocentric CEO is named Seth. In the first act, the action takes place in Seth's "war room," where he and his inner circle discuss the reasons for the firing and future strategies, questioning whether the CEO has the right to continue his pursuit of technology that alters society. The second act occurs in the MindMesh boardroom, where the members' fears about potential retaliation from Seth and the risk of being outdone by a competing species are raised. The play's central tension reflects a contemporary dilemma: the existential threat of artificial intelligence versus its promised benefits.

Gasda details that he wrote 35 versions of this play, after several visits to San Francisco and energetic writing sessions, arriving at the version of "Doomers" that premieres in New York and will be performed in San Francisco in March. Known for previous works like "Dimes Square" and "Zoomers," Gasda sought to understand character archetypes and the psychology of a group that is not necessarily reflective. The cast includes characters based on real figures such as Sam Altman, former tech chief Mira Murati, and co-founder Greg Brockman.

The questions that arise among the characters are relevant: should the development of artificial intelligence be accelerated to "win"; should pauses be taken to better ensure safety; or even cease it altogether to protect humanity? Through these discussions, the archetypes of each character come to fruition: if there is a choice between winning and acting ethically, Seth opts for victory. He claims he was fired "for creating miracles" and argues that alignment would be a "misuse of a sacred resource." For him, the pursuit of excellence is natural, asserting that MindMesh is the "immune system" of the world, a benevolent AGI that will protect us when the "evil" AGI spirals out of control.

The story reflects events from almost 15 months ago, and the conversation around artificial intelligence has already shifted, with a race for dominance that overshadows security concerns. Altman returned to his position after massive resignation threats from OpenAI engineers. A new board, willing to allow OpenAI to become a profit-driven entity, has solidified under his leadership.

Security questions persist as OpenAI prepares for a $40 billion funding round, expected to yield a valuation of $340 billion. At the same time, former President Donald Trump's commitment to protect artificial intelligence from any regulation resonates amid a new arms race against China and the emergence of competitors like DeepSeek. In summary, innovation in artificial intelligence is accelerating, just as the character of Seth wished, and the question remains whether this is a positive or negative development.