AI news story

OpenAI CEO Altman is now "pretty sure" AI is net job-creating, which is quite the pivot from predicting mass layoffs

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman now says he's "pretty sure" AI has created more jobs than it's eliminated. That's a sharp turn from hi…

  • LLMs
  • Source: The Decoder
  • Published: 2026-07-12

Editor's take

Sam Altman of OpenAI has shifted his stance, now asserting that artificial intelligence has generated more employment opportunities than it has displaced. This represents a notable departure from his previous pronouncements regarding the potential for widespread job obsolescence due to AI advancements.

This recalibration is significant as it directly addresses growing public and policy concerns about AI's economic impact. The sentiment from leaders at both OpenAI and Anthropic, a competitor, suggests a potential consensus forming around AI's role as a net job enhancer, a view that could influence future regulatory approaches and investment strategies in the AI sector.

Future developments to monitor include detailed industry-specific analyses of AI's employment effects, moving beyond anecdotal evidence. The extent to which new AI-driven roles compensate for those automated, and whether this compensation is equitable across different skill levels, will be crucial in evaluating Altman's revised outlook.