- Sam AltmanAI notes that debate about what counts as real work is resurgent
- Critics say his comments dismiss vulnerable jobs as automation reshapes modern employment
- Supporters argue that Altman highlights the role of AI in eliminating repetitive, low-value tasks
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is known for making bold statements, like his claim that a child born in 2025 is unlikely to ever be as smart as artificial intelligence.
His latest comments about artificial intelligence, this time referring to its impact on the future of work, have 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 50 years ago might see today’s jobs.
Not really work
Altman replied, “The thing about that pawn… [is that] they would most likely look at what you do or I do and say, ‘that’s not real work’.”
He continued: “If you…farmers…You make something people really need. You feed them, you keep them alive. It’s real work. You people of the future, life has just become too easy for you.”
AI may take your job, but Altman says “I think we’ll find plenty of things to do.”
His suggestion that many modern roles might not qualify as “real work” inevitably drew widespread condemnation online, with people accusing Altman of dismissing the jobs most vulnerable to automation.
Some see his comments as a symbol of a growing rift 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 is built around repetitive or bureaucratic tasks.
Seam Tom’s hardware points out that these are typically roles that the late anthropologist David Graeber once described as “bullshit jobs” and that many workers secretly believe add little social value.
Studies since have offered mixed support for this claim, suggesting that feelings of futility are often associated with poor management rather than the job itself.
Altman’s phrasing may once again have been a little blunt, but his underlying point is hard to deny. AI is more likely to replace repetitive tasks rather than entire professions.
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