OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has described Bitcoin (BTC) as a “super logical” step on the tech tree, which is free of government control while helping to fight corruption.
“I’m excited about Bitcoin,” Altman told Joe Rogan during an Oct. 6 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
The OpenAI boss’ wide-ranging interview with Rogan covered his thoughts on Bitcoin as a world reserve currency and his apprehensions about central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).
Altman, who is also the founder of Worldcoin, said the shift to a “technologically enabled world”, including Bitcoin, could help reduce corruption.
“One of the things that I’ve observed, obviously many other people too, is corruption is such an incredible hindrance to getting anything done in a society to make it forward progress,” said Altman.
“But in a web 3.0 world where payments, for example, are no longer like bags of cash but done somehow digitally and somebody, even if you’re using Bitcoin, can like watch those flows,” he said, adding:
Meanwhile, Rogan expressed his own optimism for Bitcoin despite skepticism of the wider cryptocurrency industry, saying he believes it can become a “universal viable currency.”
“That to me is very fascinating. I love the fact that it’s been implemented,” Rogan added.
Altman, however, has been a long supporter of Bitcoin well before the podcast. In a blog post dated 10 years ago, Altman argued that a world transacting in Bitcoin would be more transparent.
“A world where we all transact in Bitcoin would be much more transparent, and financial transparency is great. It’s perhaps the thing that would most reduce corruption,” Altman said.
Rogan, Altman ‘very worried’ about CBDCs, slams U.S. war on crypto
Rogan and Altman both expressed deep concern about Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), and the U.S. government’s attitude towards the cryptocurrency industry.
Rogan argued that CBDCs could give governments even more control over how people spend their money:
“Web 3.0 is also called the AI podcast, and tech AI could be used to further limit the way people use their money,” he said.
Altman added he hasn’t been impressed with how the U.S. government has treated the cryptocurrency industry recently:
“I’m disappointed with the U.S. government’s recent moves, especially their ‘war on crypto’, where they try to control and limit it,” he said, adding that understanding the differences between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 is key to understanding how to invest in it, and how to access it.
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