Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, delivered a blunt and shocking warning about the future of work and humanity in a striking post on the X platform on April 25. Altman predicted that rapid technological developments would lead to irreversible and radical changes, stating: “At some point after AGI, no one has to work, and the economy as we know it will collapse.” These bold statements came just days after the company launched its newest model, GPT-5.5, clearly reflecting the growing tension between the rapid pace of artificial intelligence development and the readiness of global economies and societies to absorb its profound impacts.
The productivity paradox and the launch of GPT-5.5
In the same post, Altman added a satirical yet revealing note, saying: “I’m transitioning to a polyphasic sleep schedule because the GPT-5.5 Codex model is so good that I can’t bear to sleep long and miss out on work.” This phrase highlighted a strange paradox at the heart of the AI revolution; the tools originally designed to ease the burden of human labor are actually accelerating the pace of work, at least for those building and developing them.
The GPT-5.5 model was launched on April 23 and became available to paid subscribers via the ChatGPT and Codex platforms. The company describes this model as more efficient at handling multi-step tasks, possessing exceptional planning capabilities, utilizing software tools, and verifying its own outputs with significantly less human guidance than previous models. In this context, Greg Brockman, president of OpenAI, described this development as “a new category of intelligence,” considering it a genuine step toward a new and innovative way of accomplishing computational work.
A new industrial policy for the age of intelligence
Altman’s warning regarding the post-AGI phase did not come out of nowhere; a few weeks earlier, specifically on April 6, OpenAI published a 13-page policy document titled “An Industrial Policy for the Age of Intelligence.” This document included bold and innovative proposals to restructure the economy to suit upcoming changes, most notably:
- Public wealth fund: A proposal to create a national fund to distribute the financial returns generated by AI gains.
- Shorter workweek: Launching pilot programs to implement a 4-day workweek without compromising workers’ wages.
- Shifting the tax burden: Moving the tax focus from income and labor taxes to capital taxes.
- Robot tax: Imposing taxes on automated systems to compensate for lost human jobs.
- Essential infrastructure: Treating access to AI technologies as essential infrastructure, much like electrical grids or the internet.
Between criticism and security concerns
Despite these proposals, critics and observers questioned the company’s true intentions and whether these policies represented a genuine desire for change or merely a regulatory maneuver. Fortune reported that some analysts described the document as a cover for what they called “regulatory nihilism,” pointing to the company’s mixed and volatile history in dealing with regulations and laws.
These statements and analyses coincide with a period of escalating public anxiety regarding the impacts of artificial intelligence. This anxiety manifested in a serious incident on April 10, when an individual threw a molotov cocktail at Altman’s home in San Francisco, before heading to OpenAI’s offices carrying other incendiary devices, where he informed security personnel of his intention to “burn the whole place down.” The FBI described this attack as “planned, targeted, and extremely dangerous.”>
Societal transformations and legitimate anxiety
Altman responded to this tense public climate, acknowledging that “the fear surrounding AI is justified; we are living amid the most important societal transformation in a long time, and perhaps ever.” Notably, Altman stated last February during a talk in New Delhi, India, that reaching AGI feels “very close at this point,” warning that the current pace of development is “exhausting and stirs up a lot of anxiety and concerns.”>
As artificial intelligence technologies continue to advance at unprecedented rates, the question remains regarding the ability of governments and institutions to draft policies that protect societies from expected economic shocks and ensure a smooth transition toward an era where the concepts of work and production may change forever.
FAQ
What was the main warning issued by Sam Altman?
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, warned that in the post-AGI era, humans will not have to work, leading to the collapse of the economy as it currently exists and a radical change in the structure of society.
When was the GPT-5.5 model launched and what are its capabilities?
The GPT-5.5 model was launched on April 23, featuring superior capabilities in performing multi-step tasks, autonomous planning, utilizing software tools, and verifying its own results with far less human guidance than previous models.
What are OpenAI’s most prominent economic proposals?
The company published a document on April 6 proposing the creation of a public wealth fund, trialing a 4-day workweek without reducing pay, shifting the tax burden from labor to capital, imposing a robot tax, and treating AI as essential infrastructure.
How did the public react to rapid developments in artificial intelligence?
The recent period witnessed an escalation in societal anxiety, manifested in a serious security incident on April 10 when an individual targeted Sam Altman’s home and company offices with incendiary devices. Altman acknowledged that this fear and public apprehension are entirely justified.
