Customer support jobs are at risk most
Altman was not embarrassed to predict unemployment in certain areas. He said he is confident that AI will replace many of the customer support roles currently being handled on phones and computers.
“A lot of the current customer support that happens on phones and computers, those people lose their jobs and I'm sure that AI will do better,” he said on the podcast.
The uncertain future of programming
Openai's chief was not very certain when it comes to computer programmers. While some fear coding jobs may disappear, Altman argued that AI tools made developers more productive and potentially valuable.
“The meaning of being a computer programmer today is very different from what it meant two years ago,” he explained. “You can be very productive with these AI tools, but that's someone who's still there…and you see that the world wanted far more software than it had the ability to create before.”
Preparing for AI age
Experts argue that adaptation is important to navigate this confusion. This means that education systems and employers need to help workers reskill, retrain and integrate AI into their daily roles.
In the UAE, the government is presenting AI in public school curricula for the 2025-2026 academic year. Kindergarten through 12th grade students will learn about the concepts of AI, practical applications, and the ethical challenges that technology poses.
Separately, a joint report from Dubai's Economic and Tourism Authority (DET) and Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) identified which occupations are the safest in the AI-driven world. We have listed AI and machine learning experts, robotics engineers, nurses, teachers and doctors as safe bets.
In contrast, customer support agents, telemarketers and bank tellers warned that the risk of evacuation was high and reflected Altman's own concerns.
