How OpenAI uses complex and circular deals to fuel its multibillion-dollar rise

As I understand the argument, it's that AI will reach a level where it's smart enough to improve itself, leading to a feedback loop where it takes off like a rocket. In this scenario, whoever is in second place is left so far in the dust that it doesn't matter. Whichever model is number one is so smart that it's able to absorb all economic demand, and all the other models will be completely obsolete.

This would be a terrifyingly dystopian outcome. Whoever owns this super intelligence is not going to use it for the good of humanity, they're going to use it for personal enrichment. Sam Altman says OpenAI will cure cancer, but in practice they're rolling out porn. There's more immediate profit to be made from preying on loneliness and delusion than there is from empowering everyone. If you doubt the other CEOs would do the same, just look at them kissing the ass of America's wannabe dictator in the White House.

Another possible outcome is that no single model or company wins the AI race. Consumers will choose the AI models that best suit their varying needs, and suppliers will compete on pricing and capability in a competitive free market. In this future, the winners will be companies and individuals who make best use of AI to provide value. This wouldn't justify the valuations of the largest AI companies, and it's absolutely not the future that they want.