Key facts
- Sam Altman believes AI will not result in mass adoption of four-hour workweeks.
- He attributes this to human nature, specifically competitiveness and the desire for more.
- Altman suggests people will be busier than anticipated in a post-superintelligence era.
- The trend of shorter workweeks has been a long-standing promise of technology that has not materialized at scale.
- The interview also touched on AI reaching the singularity, which Altman views positively.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has stated that artificial intelligence is unlikely to usher in an era of widespread four-hour workweeks. In an interview on the 'Relentless' podcast, Altman explained that despite technological advancements promising less work, human nature, particularly competitiveness, prevents this outcome.
Altman noted that people are driven by relative performance and constantly find new desires and goals, suggesting that even with AI-driven productivity gains, individuals will continue to seek more and remain busy. He expressed that this competitive drive is fundamental to the economy and will persist, even in a world with advanced AI.
He contrasted this outlook with the post-pandemic discussion around the four-day workweek, a model some businesses found beneficial for morale and productivity. However, Altman indicated that the dream of shorter workweeks is receding due to corporate return-to-office mandates and demanding work cultures.
In the same interview, Altman also commented on AI reaching the singularity, a point where artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence. He described this potential future as "incredible, hugely positive, awesome for the world."