Running a major company with only a handful of people is becoming a realistic outcome in advanced artificial intelligence development.
That outlook aligns with the view that AI systems will one day outperform human executives and take on responsibilities traditionally handled by senior leadership, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said, on the "Conversations with Tyler" podcast recently.
"You'll have billion-dollar companies run by two or three people with AI," Altman said, adding that he is "more pessimistic about humans" when comparing judgment under pressure.
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Automation Moving Toward The Top
Altman told host Tyler Cowen he thinks often about a threshold that would allow an AI system to surpass him in leading OpenAI. "What would have to happen for an AI CEO to be able to do a much, much better job of running OpenAI than me?" he asked.
He said improvements in reasoning, long-term planning, and reliability remain central challenges for advanced models.
Altman said he anticipates AI running a major department inside OpenAI within single-digit years. He said human-led organizations often struggle because people make inconsistent decisions, which creates an opening for automated systems that can operate with more stability.
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AI's Impact On Jobs And Structure
Altman expanded on the impact of these changes in an interview with Axel Springer SE CEO Mathias Döpfner early last month. In that discussion, he said AI will "destroy a lot of jobs" in the short term.
He added to Döpfner that he assumes society will "figure out completely new things to do," consistent with earlier industrial transitions that created new work after periods of displacement.
Altman told Döpfner smaller groups inside companies could rely on advanced systems to perform higher-level work as models become more capable. He said future systems will take on more planning and analysis as their reliability improves, which he believes will shift major responsibilities away from large human teams.
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Life Beyond The Office
Altman also talked to Döpfner about what comes next for him once AI becomes capable enough to manage operations on its own, a topic he raised in his interview. He told Döpfner he spends part of his time on a farm he loves and visited more often before ChatGPT's rise.
"I used to drive tractors and pick stuff," he said. He has purchased homes in San Francisco and Napa, California, as well as a $43 million estate on Hawaii's Big Island, according to media reports .
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