OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has warned that artificial intelligence will eliminate entire job categories, as he urged Congress to take action. Speaking at a Federal Reserve conference in Washington, Altman said customer support roles were among those that would be completely replaced by AI.
Altman told the audience that AI already handles customer service calls more effectively than humans, describing a system with 'no phone tree, no transfers' that can do everything a human agent could do without making mistakes. He also claimed that ChatGPT can now provide better diagnoses than most doctors, though he stopped short of advocating for AI-only healthcare.
The comments came as the Trump administration unveiled its 'AI action plan', which focuses on easing regulations and promoting data centres. Unlike during the Biden era, when OpenAI called for government regulation, Altman's latest engagement with the federal government under Trump emphasises accelerating development to beat China.
Altman also expressed fears about AI being used as a weapon against the US financial system by hostile nations. He warned that advances in voice cloning could enable sophisticated fraud, noting that some financial institutions still accept voiceprints as authentication.
OpenAI is expanding its presence in Washington, announcing plans to open its first office in the capital next year. Altman recently faced the Senate commerce committee for his first congressional testimony since his high-profile appearance in May 2023.
