Why OpenAI CEO Thinks AI Must Destroy Jobs to Raise Salaries
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has unveiled a polarizing vision for the global labor market, predicting a future of “sky-high salaries” for workers, but with a sobering caveat: these gains will only arrive after artificial intelligence has entirely dismantled several traditional job categories.
Speaking in a late December 2024 interview with video journalist Cleo Abram, Sam described the coming decade as a “punctuated equilibrium” moment that will fundamentally redefine the value of human labor.
The “Mid-2030s” Milestone
Sam’s forecast centers on the year 2035, suggesting that the next generation of graduates will enter a world unrecognizable to today’s workforce.
He posited that while many entry-level “knowledge work” roles will be automated out of existence, the resulting explosion in productivity will create immense wealth.
This wealth, he argues, will manifest as exceptionally high compensation for humans who can navigate “frontier” industries—such as space exploration, climate engineering, and complex system design.
“In 2035, a graduating student could very well be leaving on a mission to explore the solar system in a super well-paid, super interesting job,” Sam remarked.
He emphasized that AI will make these high-paying roles possible by taking over the ‘boring, predictable work’ that currently occupies the majority of human time.
OpenAI CEO Predicts Displacement Before Prosperity
Despite the optimistic outlook on future wages, Sam was blunt about the impending “painful adjustment.”
He warned that AI is currently “wiping out” the training wheels of the professional world—entry-level jobs in coding, customer service, and administrative reporting.
The CEO noted that as AI models perform tasks that cost $10,000 a year ago for mere cents today, the economic structure of salaries must break and rebuild.
“There will be massive displacement,” he admitted, suggesting that the transition will be swift, compressing 75 years of traditional economic evolution into just five to ten years.
The Skills Paradox: What Stays Valuable?
In this new economy, Sam believes the market will stop rewarding “routine intelligence” and start paying a premium for scarce human qualities.
He identified three key areas where salaries will remain “sky-high”:
- Deep Problem Framing: The ability to ask the right questions that AI hasn’t been prompted to solve yet.
- High-Stakes Judgment: Taking responsibility for outcomes where AI-generated errors could cost millions.
- Empathy and Connection: Roles in healthcare and caregiving that require human warmth, which Altman considers “future-proof.”
OpenAI CEO’s Envy for Gen Z
Surprisingly, Sam expressed “envy” for those starting their careers now.
While older generations may feel threatened by the loss of stability, he views Gen Z as the “luckiest generation in history.”
This is because they will grow up natively alongside these tools.
He argued that they will be the architects of billion-dollar “one-person companies” and will look back at today’s office jobs with pity.
However, he cautioned against “emotional over-reliance.” He warned that a generation unable to make decisions without an AI prompt could face a different kind of crisis.
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