OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has revised his earlier stance on AI's impact on employment, now stating he is 'pretty sure' AI is net job-creating. This marks a significant change from his previous warnings about the potential for rapid job loss. Altman noted that this outcome was not what he expected, having once described the speed of AI's impact as 'potentially a little scary.'
Other industry leaders have also adjusted their forecasts. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has similarly walked back his earlier predictions, now referring to automation as a productivity multiplier rather than a job killer. Amodei had previously claimed AI would take over large portions of entry-level office jobs within a very short time, a statement that drew attention but little support.
Despite these shifts, no studies have yet shown a significant AI impact on overall productivity or the labor market. A recent multi-university study found that the job crisis among programmers and copywriters began in early 2022, months before ChatGPT launched. The Yale Budget Lab also found no AI-related job market shifts. However, AI-related layoffs have still occurred, with some companies redirecting funds meant for workers to AI hardware or using AI as an excuse to satisfy shareholders.
Source: thedecoder
