- Sam Altman’s remarks on AI reignite debate over what constitutes real work
- Critics say his comments dismiss vulnerable jobs as automation reshapes modern employment
- Proponents argue that Altman highlights AI’s role in eliminating repetitive, low-value tasks.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is well known for his bold statements, such as his assertion that a child born in 2025 will likely never be as intelligent as artificial intelligence.
His latest comments on AI, this time referring to its impact on the future of work, have once again sparked outrage online.
Speaking on stage at OpenAI’s DevDay event in a live interview with AI Newsletter founder Rowan Cheung, Altman answered a question about how a farmer from 50 years ago might view today’s jobs.
Not a real job
Altman replied: “The problem with this farmer… [is that] they would most likely look at what you or I are doing and say, “that’s not real work.”
He continued: “If you’re farming…you’re doing something that people really need. You’re making them food, you’re keeping them alive. It’s real work. You, the people of the future, life has become too easy for you.”
AI could take your job, but Altman says, “I think we’ll find plenty of things to do.”
His suggestion that many modern jobs might not qualify as “real work” inevitably sparked widespread condemnation online, with people accusing Altman of eliminating jobs most likely to be automated.
Some see his comments as emblematic of a growing divide between the creators of AI systems and the workers most affected by them.
Others, however, argue that Altman’s remarks touch on a broader truth about how much of today’s employment relies on repetitive or bureaucratic tasks.
As Tom’s material As the researcher points out, these are typically roles that the late anthropologist David Graeber once called “bullshit jobs” and which many workers secretly believe add little social value.
Studies since have provided mixed support for this claim, suggesting that feelings of futility are often linked to poor management rather than the jobs themselves.
Altman’s phrasing may once again have been a bit blunt, but his underlying point is hard to deny. AI is more likely to replace repetitive tasks than entire professions.
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