OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has identified several job categories that are likely to become obsolete as artificial intelligence continues to evolve. Speaking on the growing impact of generative AI technologies, Altman said that industries reliant on repetitive or rule-based functions are most vulnerable to disruption. “Some areas, again, I think just like totally, totally gone,” Altman said, as quoted in the report.
Customer Support Roles at Risk
Altman noted that customer service and call center jobs are likely to be automated as AI tools become increasingly capable of handling real-time conversations. Large language models like GPT can already provide reliable support in many domains, reducing the need for human agents.
Data Entry and Transcription Jobs
Jobs involving manual data entry, transcription, and recordkeeping are among the first to face redundancy. Altman highlighted that AI can perform these tasks faster, with fewer errors, and at significantly lower costs.
Routine Programming Roles
Altman also flagged certain entry-level coding and software development jobs as being at risk. While he acknowledged the need for human oversight in complex systems, many basic programming tasks—like writing simple scripts or debugging code—can now be handled by AI-assisted platforms.
Legal and Financial Document Review
Another area facing disruption is legal and financial document analysis, where AI can parse, summarize, and evaluate large volumes of text in seconds. This could reduce the demand for junior roles in law firms and financial institutions.
Creative Fields with Repetitive Output
Altman cautioned that content creation roles that focus on volume over originality, such as writing product descriptions or basic marketing copy, may also see significant job losses. AI models are now capable of generating human-like content at scale.
Altman emphasized the need for society and governments to prepare for the shift, advocating for education reform and policy frameworks to support reskilling efforts. He acknowledged that while AI will eliminate some jobs, it will also create new roles that require a different set of skills.
People in healthcare
Altman addressed the growing role of AI in healthcare, noting that ChatGPT’s diagnostic accuracy has, in many cases, surpassed that of human doctors. However, he emphasized the importance of retaining human oversight in medicine. While acknowledging AI's capabilities, Altman said he would not entrust his medical care entirely to ChatGPT without a doctor involved.
