Altman Says Economic Inertia Will Slow AI Disruption

Generative AI has advanced rapidly, but broad commercial adoption still depends on companies changing workflows, procurement systems and user behavior. OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman said even mature technology cannot quickly reorganize a vast economy shaped by established institutions and habits. That inertia means AI’s disruption of industries and employment is likely to unfold more slowly than many investors and executives initially expected.

Altman’s latest comments poured cold water on expectations of an immediate AI-driven economic upheaval, identifying human behavior and economic inertia as key barriers to deployment. He also outlined OpenAI’s longer-term ambition to build a single integrated interface and developer platform connecting individuals and businesses with artificial general intelligence, or AGI. The vision would position OpenAI as a gateway through which advanced models enter everyday products, enterprise systems and commercial workflows.