You know it’s going to be good when an AI executive goes off on a tangent about “hey, what’s a job anyway!” while addressing — or failing to address — the topic of how their tech just might wipe out entire categories of human professions.
- The Farmer’s Skepticism: Sam Altman draws on a historical analogy, suggesting that just as a farmer from 50 years ago would dismiss modern office jobs as “not real work,” today’s professions might seem trivial in the face of AI-driven changes, urging a broader perspective on what constitutes meaningful labor.
- AI’s Disruptive Promise: While acknowledging the threat to a billion knowledge worker jobs, Altman expresses cautious optimism, betting on human ingenuity to invent new roles, much like the internet created unforeseen opportunities despite initial fears.
- Redefining Work in the Intelligence Era: Altman’s comments highlight a philosophical shift: jobs evolve with technology, and what we view as “real” work today—producing food or innovating—could be seen as mere “games” tomorrow, but humanity’s drive will ensure we adapt and thrive.
AI’s Looming Shadow on Jobs
In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, few voices carry as much weight as Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. At the company’s DevDay conference on Wednesday, Altman engaged in a candid interview with Rowan Cheung, host of The Rundown AI newsletter, where the conversation veered into the thorny issue of job displacement. It’s a topic Altman has revisited often, typically with a blend of reassurance and vagueness that leaves listeners both intrigued and unsettled. This time, his remarks took a philosophical turn, challenging the very notion of what qualifies as “real work” in an AI-dominated future. As automation edges closer to reshaping economies, Altman’s perspective invites us to zoom out and consider not just the losses, but the profound transformations ahead.
The discussion kicked off with Cheung’s provocative thought experiment, one that underscores the unpredictability of technological leaps. Imagine telling a farmer from half a century ago about the internet—a “magical thing” that would spawn a billion new jobs. Cheung painted a vivid picture: the farmer, toiling in the fields, likely wouldn’t believe it. This analogy sets the stage for the AI era, where knowledge workers—think coders, analysts, and creators—face a similar upheaval. Cheung warned that a billion such jobs could vanish before fresh opportunities emerge, echoing the uncertainty that gripped society during the digital revolution. It’s a fair point: the internet didn’t just disrupt; it birthed entirely new industries, from e-commerce to social media, that no one could have foreseen in the analog age.
Dismissing Modern Work as “Games”
Altman, ever the optimist with a tech titan’s edge, latched onto this farmer imagery to reframe the debate. When pressed on the scale of potential job destruction, he flipped the script. “The thing about that farmer,” Altman mused, “is not only that they wouldn’t believe you, but they very likely would look at what you do and I do and say, ‘that’s not real work.'” In his view, farming represents the pinnacle of essential labor—directly sustaining life by producing food and keeping people alive. By contrast, many of today’s white-collar roles might strike that farmer as little more than “playing a game to fill your time.” It’s a humbling reminder of how subjective “real work” can be, shaped by the era’s tools and needs.
This isn’t mere rhetoric; it’s Altman’s way of tempering fears about AI’s impact. OpenAI, valued at hundreds of billions, is at the forefront of building tools like ChatGPT that could automate vast swaths of cognitive tasks. Yet Altman argues that this disruption is part of a larger pattern. Jobs have always evolved with innovation—from the agrarian societies of the past to the industrial boom, and now the intelligence age. He admits the transition could be bumpy, making him “a little less worried” about the immediate losses but “more worried in some other ways,” like societal adaptation and inequality. Still, his core bet is on humanity’s resilience. “I’m so willing to bet on human drives being what they are,” he said. “And I think we’ll find plenty of things to do.”
Historical Echoes: Technology’s Double-Edged Sword
From a broader vantage point, Altman’s comments tap into a long-standing tension in tech discourse: the innovator’s dilemma of progress versus peril. History offers parallels—the steam engine displaced artisans but fueled the factories that employed millions; the computer eliminated typists but unleashed the software industry. AI, however, feels uniquely existential because it targets the intellect, the domain long considered humanity’s stronghold. Critics might poke holes in the farmer analogy: Why compare AI’s fallout to a past tech wave in a chat with the very executive driving it? And isn’t there hubris in dismissing current jobs as “fake” from someone whose company stands to profit immensely? Fair critiques, but they miss the bigger picture Altman is sketching—one where work isn’t static but a canvas for human ambition.
Consider the implications for the workforce. Knowledge workers, who make up a significant chunk of modern economies, could see roles in writing, design, and analysis augmented or outright replaced by AI. Yet, as Cheung implied, the internet’s legacy shows creation often outpaces destruction. It didn’t just connect us; it democratized information, spawning gig economies, remote work, and creative outlets like content creation that employ millions today. Altman envisions a similar ripple effect for AI: perhaps we’ll pivot to overseeing intelligent systems, exploring uncharted scientific frontiers, or tackling global challenges like climate change with unprecedented efficiency. “It’s very possible that if we could see those jobs of the future,” he speculated, “we’d think ‘maybe our jobs were not as real as a farmer’s job, but it’s a lot more real than this game you’re playing to entertain yourself.’” In other words, today’s “games” might pale next to tomorrow’s pursuits, which could blend creativity, ethics, and exploration in ways we can’t yet imagine.
Policies and Broader Perspectives
This optimism isn’t blind. Altman has repeatedly called for policies like universal basic income to cushion the blow, recognizing that not everyone will transition seamlessly. Broader perspectives from economists and sociologists reinforce this: studies from the World Economic Forum predict AI will displace 85 million jobs by 2025 but create 97 million new ones, often in emerging fields like data stewardship and AI ethics. The key, as Altman suggests, lies in our innate drives—curiosity, connection, and purpose—that have propelled us through every industrial shift. If a farmer couldn’t fathom the digital economy, perhaps we too are blind to the post-AI world, where “real work” might involve curating human-AI collaborations or pioneering virtual realities that solve real-world problems.
Altman’s DevDay remarks serve as a call to reimagine work beyond fear. In an era where OpenAI’s advancements are both celebrated and scrutinized, his words remind us that technology doesn’t just erase; it redefines. As we stand on the cusp of this intelligence explosion, the challenge isn’t merely survival—it’s harnessing our uniquely human spark to craft a future where work feels more vital than ever. Whether that future validates the farmer’s toil or elevates our current “games” remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: betting on human adaptability has paid off before, and it’s likely to again.