Sam Altman disputes the idea that the introduction of AI is properly reflected in job cuts.
He made the claim in an interview with CNBC on Monday, before celebrating the official groundbreaking ceremony for the giant 1-gigawatt data center 80 miles southwest of Detroit.
“The companies I know that are implementing the most AI are also the companies that are hiring the most people,” he says. “And generally, the companies that are talking about cutting jobs because of AI are the ones that have the least adoption of AI.”
He added that AI could be a “useful way” for companies to account for layoffs.
Altman said it remains to be seen how AI will ultimately impact employment, but he said his view has become more optimistic after seeing companies adopt OpenAI’s coding tools, including Codex.
“I think I underestimated how jagged these models would be,” he says. “They do some things incredibly well, but things like overseeing complex tasks over long periods of time are not good at all.”
AI anxiety
The comments come as workers grow anxious about what generative AI will mean for white-collar jobs. Some tech industry leaders, including Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleiman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, have warned that AI could replace large numbers of workers.
Several technology companies have also cited AI in announcing job cuts, including Block, Cisco, Coinbase, Snap, and Salesforce.
This anxiety is reflected in public opinion. A Pew Research Center poll in March found that 50% of Americans are more concerned than excited about the increasing use of AI in daily life, compared to 10% who are more excited than concerned. Meanwhile, data center projects have sparked protests in communities across the country.
Altman added that he regrets that some of OpenAI’s past press releases may have fueled public fears about unemployment. He pointed to a December press release for GPT-5.2 in which the company said the model “outperforms experts across 44 occupations.”
He said he wished the company had been more accurate.
“What I wish I could have said at the time is that I outperformed the experts in small tasks in 44 occupations. I think that would be more accurate,” he said. “I think it’s natural for people to be worried, and I understand that. This isn’t even a technological change that happens every generation. This is one big change.”
“barn”
The interview took place in front of heavy construction equipment at the company’s Saline Township campus. Once completed, this project is expected to deliver approximately five times more power than the average data center project today.
OpenAI is positioning the project as an economic boost for the region, saying in a press release that the project will create 2,500 construction union jobs and an additional 450 permanent on-site jobs.
The project also became a flash point locally. Last week, Saline Township Treasurer Jennifer Zink resigned, citing violent threats she has received since the data center plan was approved.
“Every time I visit one of these places, I am shocked again,” he said. “The numbers say this is going to take a gigawatt, this many jobs, or tens of billions of dollars of capital. The feeling of seeing something like this come to fruition doesn’t really convey.”
OpenAI did not immediately respond to Business Insider’s request for comment.