Sam Altman: AI to replace 40% of tasks, not humans

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Artificial intelligence will take over as much as 40% of the tasks people do today, but it will not eliminate humans from the workforce, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said during a recent address in Berlin.

“I think 30 to 40% of the tasks that people do in today’s economy could be done by AI in the not very distant future,” he told the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network. “That does not mean we lose 40% of jobs. It means people’s jobs change. And there will also be many new jobs created.”

Altman predicted that by 2030, AI models will surpass humans in many areas, including scientific research. He described OpenAI’s latest system, GPT-5, as already “smarter than me in many ways.” Yet, he argued, qualities like empathy, creativity, and understanding human goals remain uniquely human. “Machines will never be the centre of the story,” he said. “Human concerns, goals, and values have to stay at the core.”

He also acknowledged risks to democracy and freedom of expression, warning that AI systems could have unintended consequences if misaligned with human values. OpenAI’s governance model, rooted in non-profit principles, is designed to ensure long-term safety, Altman added.

Looking ahead, he hinted at hardware innovations that could redefine human–computer interaction beyond screens and keyboards. “AI will reshape the world,” Altman said. “The challenge is to ensure it does so in a way that strengthens human freedom and possibility, not undermines it.”