OpenAI CEO Says AI Won't Cause Job Doom, Admits Early Predictions Were Wrong

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, said at a Commonwealth Bank of Australia conference that the rapid growth of AI won't lead to a 'job doom'. He admitted his early fears were too pessimistic, especially when ChatGPT launched in 2022, predicting many entry-level white-collar jobs would disappear, but that didn't happen.

Altman explained that tech leaders often misjudge the future, but the risks were worth discussing at the time. He didn't cite specific job data, but stressed that while AI can handle important tasks, human interaction remains irreplaceable—for example, he tried using AI to reply to messages but switched back to doing it himself.

Companies like HSBC, Amazon, and Standard Chartered are testing AI to replace some roles. Altman believes the job market still has parts that machines can't replace, and the value of human connection is huge.