Sam Altman Envisions AI-Led Future: OpenAI CEO Wants to Be Replaced by Artificial Intelligence

Sam Altman says he wants an AI to replace him as OpenAI CEO

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. Forward-looking: Worried that AI will take over your job and make you unemployed? Somewhat surprisingly, OpenAI boss Sam Altman not only thinks this will happen to him, but he'll also be ashamed if his company isn't the first to be run by an artificial intelligence. But with a net worth of around $2 billion, Altman likely isn't concerned about being able to pay his bills should AI replace him. Speaking on Conversations with Tyler, the long-running podcast hosted by economist, author, and George Mason University professor Tyler Cowen, Altman confessed his wish to have an AI take over his role as head of OpenAI. "Shame on me if OpenAI is not the first big company run by an AI CEO," Altman said. The chief executive also said that he often wonders "What would have to happen for an AI CEO to be able to do a much, much better job of running OpenAI than me?" While generative AI is replacing certain positions such as call center workers and entry-level white-collar jobs, the technology is far from advanced enough to capably run an entire company department - let alone an entire company. Altman says he thinks about ways how the process of giving AI executive-level capabilities can be accelerated. He believes it's only a number of single-digit years before this is achieved and an AI will be running a major department within OpenAI. But what will Altman do when the AI he created replaces him? He can't be expected to spend all his time at his $27 million San Francsico mansion, $15.7 million Napa weekend ranch, or $43 million residence on Hawaii's Big Island, counting his billions. Thankfully, he also has a farm where he used to "drive tractors and pick stuff." Altman told Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner last month that he intends to spend most of his time there when an AI takes over OpenAI. Like virtually every company developing or adopting generative AI, Altman has shifted his stance on the technology's impact on jobs. It was initially argued that gen AI would augment human tasks and help people complete repetitive work more efficiently; now, he acknowledges that many workers are likely to be replaced. "In the short term, AI will destroy a lot of jobs. In the long term, like every other technological revolution, I assume we will figure out completely new things to do," Altman said. In September, Altman gave another prediction on when artificial general intelligence (AGI) - an AI vastly smarter than humans - would arrive. He believes that "superintelligence" will be here by 2030, and that 30-40% of tasks that happen in the economy today will be taken over by AI in the not very distant future.

Sam Altman Says That in a Few Years, a Whole Company Could Be Run by AI, Including the CEO

"Shame on me if OpenAI isn't the first big company run by an AI CEO." OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says that an era when entire companies are run by AI models is nearly upon us. And if he has it his way, it'll be OpenAI leading the charge, even if it means losing his job. "Shame on me if OpenAI isn't the first big company run by an AI CEO," Altman said on an episode of the "Conversations with Tyler" podcast recorded last month and released Wednesday. Asked how long it will be until a large division at the company is 85 percent run by AI or more, Altman offered a bold prediction. "Some small single digit number of years -- not very far," he said. But when the host predicts there will be billion dollar companies "run by two or three people with AIs" in two and a half years, Altman seems to move up the timeline. "I think the AI can do it sooner than that," he said. It's another classic big boast from Altman, who rarely shies away from sweeping pronouncements about the AI industry and how it will shape the world -- both good and bad. He has frequently teased that OpenAI is on the verge of achieving artificial general intelligence, or AGI, a hypothetical AI system that surpasses human intelligence in virtually all aspects. He has written an entire manifesto detailing how AI will usher in a utopic future of "massive prosperity" for all. His doomsaying is equally prolific: Altman also warns that AI will destroy entire categories of jobs, could cause a "fraud crisis," implode the economy, or even end the world, if we're not careful. By Altman's standards, predicting AI-run companies are right around the corner is pretty tame. One thing he sounds most certain about is AI far surpassing the performance of human CEOs, himself included. This "clearly will happen someday," Altman said. He isn't entirely self-effacing, however. Altman concedes the host's point that the public-facing role of the CEO is pretty important, which is undoubtedly true for OpenAI. In no small part thanks to Altman's grand promises, it's capitalized on its hype to garner hundreds of billions of dollars in valuation even as it continues to lose billions of dollars every quarter. Perhaps Altman could stay the public face, he imagined out loud, while an AI makes all the big decisions. AI-controlled companies, in sum, are a foregone conclusion in Altman's eyes. The main roadblock in the way of this future happening is people's reluctance to trust in AI systems over humans, he said, "even if they shouldn't." "It may take much longer for society to get really comfortable with this," he added, "but on the actual decision-making for most things, maybe AI is pretty good pretty soon." Perhaps it's not as far-fetched as it sounds. It's not as if human CEOs have a stellar track record of being universally competent operators. And what better way to justify carrying out harsh and unpopular changes at a company than by saying it was decided by an impartial AI model? Guess we'll have to wait "some small single digit number of years" to find out.

Sam Altman Says 'Shame on Me' If OpenAI Doesn't Become 'First Big Company' Run By An AI CEO

Enter your email to get Benzinga's ultimate morning update: The PreMarket Activity Newsletter Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has made a bold prediction about the future of the company. He believes that an AI will be running the company in the near future. Fully AI-Run Department At OpenAI Soon Altman made this statement during an episode of the "Conversations with Tyler" podcast on Wednesday. He expressed that he would feel ashamed if OpenAI is not the first major company to be led by an AI CEO. "Shame on me if OpenAI is not the first big company run by an AI CEO, right?" said Altman. Altman also shared that he often contemplates what would be necessary for an AI CEO to outperform him in running OpenAI. He added that he often reflects on how to accelerate that possibility and identify potential obstacles, noting that this mindset has been helpful in shaping the company's organizational design. He believes that AI will be capable of running a significant department within OpenAI in just a few years. "Some small single-digit number of years, not very far," said Altman. See Also: Anthony Scaramucci Calls Zohran Mamdani's Win An 'Anger-Based Reaction' To Boomer Policies, Says New NYC Mayor Could Become 'Popular' If... OpenAI's Revenue Prediction This is not the first time Altman has made bold statements about the future of AI. In a conversation at GITEX Global 2025 in Dubai, Altman stated that his son, born in 2025, would grow up in a world where humans never catch up to artificial intelligence. "I don't think he'll ever be smarter than AI," he said. Altman's prediction also carries weight in the context of OpenAI's recent performance. The company's revenue has also been exceeding expectations, with Altman revealing it to be significantly higher than the widely cited $13 billion annual estimate. Moreover, Altman's prediction comes amid a public dispute with Elon Musk, who accused OpenAI of theft. Altman defended OpenAI, stating that the organization's current structure is necessary for its success. READ NEXT: AMD CEO Lisa Su Expects OpenAI Partnership To Generate Over $100 Billion In Revenue And 'Significantly Accelerate' AI Business Image via Shutterstock Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Sam Altman says he'd be proud if AI replaces him as OpenAI CEO

The OpenAI chief maintains that AI will reshape jobs but create new kinds of work in the long run. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is now again in headlines for his bold statements on AI. During a conversation with Tyler podcast, Altman stated that he would take pride in being replaced by an AI, even if that means that AI eventually runs OpenAI itself. He stated that if OpenAI isn't the first major company led by an AI chief executive, it would be a missed opportunity. "Shame on me if OpenAI is not the first big company run by an AI CEO," Altman stated, adding that he often reflects on what it would take for an AI system to outperform him at his job. According to him, that scenario could unfold within "single-digit years," as AI continues to evolve rapidly enough to manage critical company operations. Over the years, the OpenAI boss has been vocal about the disruptive nature of automation, acknowledging that while AI will initially eliminate several jobs and create new ones as the innovation progresses. At the OpenAI DevDay event earlier this year, Altman argued that perceptions of real work change over the time."A farmer from fifty years ago might not recognise what you and I do as real work," he said, suggesting that while AI will shift job landscapes, such transitions have always been part of industrial revolutions. In another interview, he once stated that he has already imagined life beyond OpenAI, one that's far from Silicon Valley. "I have a farm that I live on some of the time, and I really love it," he said, recalling his time spent driving tractors and growing produce before ChatGPT's rise transformed his daily life. In the meantime, many tech companies are restructuring their workforce, laying off thousands of employees to automate the process. IBM, for example, has already automated parts of its HR operations and redirected hiring toward AI and software roles, while Amazon and Microsoft have announced massive layoffs in recent times.