News

OpenAI CEO Says AI Will Eliminate Some Job Categories

• By John K. Waters
• 07/31/2025

OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman said artificial intelligence will eliminate entire job categories, particularly in customer support, during remarks at a Federal Reserve conference this week.

Speaking at the Capital Framework for Large Banks conference, Altman said customer service roles would be "totally, totally gone" as AI systems can handle calls without phone trees or transfers. He described current AI customer support as functioning like "a super-smart, capable person" that makes no mistakes.

Altman also claimed ChatGPT performs better than most doctors at medical diagnosis, though he said he would not rely solely on AI for healthcare without human oversight. He did not provide evidence to support the diagnostic accuracy claim.

The OpenAI executive identified other job categories at risk, including data entry, transcription, basic programming tasks, and legal document review. He said AI can perform these functions faster and with fewer errors than humans.

Altman's comments came as the Trump administration unveiled an AI action plan focused on reducing regulations and promoting data center construction. This marks a shift from the Biden administration's approach, when tech companies requested more AI regulation.

During the Federal Reserve event, Altman warned about AI security risks, including potential attacks on the U.S. financial system by hostile nations and fraud enabled by voice cloning technology.

OpenAI plans to open its first Washington office next year as the company increases engagement with federal officials. Altman testified before the Senate Commerce Committee, his first congressional appearance since May 2023.

The company has not released specific data on job displacement or the timeline for the changes Altman described.