Could AI really replace Sam Altman at OpenAI? Here’s what we know

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has made a bold confession, i.e., he hopes to be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI).

Speaking on the Conversations with Tyler podcast, hosted by economist Tyler Cowen, Altman said he would actually feel embarrassed if OpenAI wasn’t the first major company to be led by an AI chief executive.

“Shame on me if OpenAI is not the first big company run by an AI CEO,” Altman said, adding that he frequently asks himself what conditions would allow an AI system to perform “a much, much better job” at running the company than he currently does.

While generative AI is already being used to automate customer support, writing tasks, and basic white-collar roles, experts agree that AI is still far from being capable of managing an entire organisation.

However, Altman believes that moment isn’t decades away. In fact, he claimed it could arrive within “single-digit years.”

According to Altman, the race now is to accelerate the point at which AI can handle high-level responsibilities, from executive decision-making to overseeing full business departments.

He has also predicted that one of OpenAI’s own divisions could be run by AI much sooner than the public expects.

This isn’t the first time Altman has made an aggressive timeline prediction. In September, he said artificial general intelligence could arrive by 2030.

Moreover, he warned that AI could take over 30–40% of all tasks in the economy in the near future.