OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said on Tuesday that artificial intelligence is unlikely to trigger the global “jobs apocalypse” many had feared, admitting he was wrong about how quickly AI would replace white-collar workers.

Speaking virtually at a Commonwealth Bank of Australia conference in Sydney, Altman said he had expected far greater disruption to entry-level office jobs following the launch of ChatGPT in 2022.

“I’m delighted to be wrong about this,” Altman said, adding that the social and economic impact of AI had developed differently from what he initially predicted.

AI Hasn’t Replaced Humans As Fast As Expected

Altman said OpenAI’s predictions about technological progress had largely been accurate, but the company underestimated how important human interaction remains in many jobs.

He explained that while AI tools can handle tasks such as emails and messages, people still value direct human communication.

Altman revealed he once experimented with using AI to respond to Slack and email messages under the label “this is Sam’s AI” but later realised users preferred genuine human interaction.

Human Interaction Still Matters

According to Altman, that experience changed his understanding of how AI would affect employment.

“We really do care about people,” he said, arguing that many roles contain a “human part” that technology cannot easily replace.

He now believes the future of work will look very different from earlier predictions of widespread job destruction.

AI Industry Debate Continues

Despite Altman’s comments, companies including HSBC, Amazon, Standard Chartered and Commonwealth Bank have already acknowledged that some roles are being replaced or reshaped by AI systems.

At the same time, OpenAI continues expanding rapidly and is reportedly preparing confidential paperwork for a future US stock market listing that could value the company at around $1 trillion.

(with inputs from Reuters)