OpenAI CEO Sam Altman: AI Will Become a Utility Like Electricity or Water, Charged by Usage

Recently, a video of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman went viral on social platform X (formerly Twitter). In the video, Altman shared his vision for the future of AI—positioning it as a utility on par with electricity and water.

Altman said: "We see a future where intelligence is a utility, like electricity or water, and people buy it from us on a meter." This metered model could help manage computational resources during high demand. His remarks sparked heated discussions online; some users worried it was the start of "charging for thinking," while other AI leaders disagreed with this view.