Sam Altman warns of rapid AI growth as ChatGPT surges worldwide, raising job loss concerns

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has issued a fresh warning, raising concern that the world might be struggling to keep pace with the extraordinary speed of artificial intelligence (AI) as ChatGPT’s demand and popularity reaches new levels.

Speaking on The Tonight Show, Altman said the explosive rise of AI is creating both extraordinary opportunities and unsettling risks that governments and industries still aren’t prepared for.

The OpenAI chief stressed that ChatGPT, despite being only a three-year-old technology, has expanded faster than any global platform in modern history.

He cautioned that pushing AI forward without strong safeguards could easily “go wrong,” especially as the technology grows more autonomous and influential.

His remarks come as OpenAI accelerates development while facing fierce competition from rivals such as Google, Meta and Anthropic.

Industry leaders have repeatedly warned that rapid automation could upend large chunks of white-collar employment.

While acknowledging the disruption, Altman insisted that society would eventually adapt, predicting that entirely new categories of work would emerge.

Notably, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton have also sounded alarms, raising concerns about job displacement and inequality.

As ChatGPT continues reshaping workplaces worldwide, Altman emphasises that OpenAI must ensure responsible deployment to avoid a future where AI evolves faster than humanity can manage.