 "'My kid is never gonna grow up being smarter than AI': OpenAI's Sam Altman")
The world as we know it is changing fast, and artificial intelligence (AI) is at the centre of that transformation. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently made a striking observation about the future, saying, “My kid is never gonna grow up being smarter than AI.”
This comment came during the January 6 episode of the Re:Thinking podcast with host Adam Grant, where Altman discussed how AI is poised to redefine the global economy, reshape the workforce, and forever alter how humans interact with technology.
New normal for next generation
Altman, who is expecting a child soon, noted that today’s children will grow up in a world where AI’s intelligence surpasses their own. But for them, it will be entirely natural.
“And that’ll be natural,” he explained. “Of course it’s smarter than us. Of course, it can do things we can’t, but also, who really cares? I think it’s only weird for us in this one transition time,” Atlman added.
Workforce revolution
Altman also believes that AI will trigger a complete transformation of the global economy. “Eventually, I think the whole economy transforms,” he said. While some jobs may disappear, he expressed confidence in humanity’s ability to adapt. “We always find new jobs, even though every time we stare at a new technology, we assume they’re all going to go away.”
Altman further predicts that AI won’t make human work obsolete but will instead push people toward more meaningful and creative roles. “Ability will still be valued,” he noted, but added that raw intellectual horsepower will become less important. Instead, the ability to ask the right questions will take center stage.
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Agentic AI: The next frontier
AI is entering its ‘agentic stage’, where it can perform complex tasks autonomously. OpenAI has already launched ‘Tasks’ on ChatGPT, allowing users to create reminders and summaries, and is preparing to roll out a more advanced feature called ‘Operator’ later this month. This tool will be capable of writing code and even booking travel, Bloomberg reported.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, speaking at CES 2025, called agentic AI the next big wave. “AI agents are the new digital workforce,” Huang said, predicting a multitrillion-dollar industry.
Altman also weighed in on the future of agentic AI, saying, “Not like we can go give them a task where they program for three hours, but where we can have them go off and do something very complicated that would normally require a whole organisation over many years.”