OpenAI CEO Sam Altman claims he is 'scared' about ChatGPT's potential to replace human jobs

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, told ABC News he's "a bit scared" of AI and its potential to affect the workforce, elections, and disinformation spread.

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The ChatGPT bot, created by OpenAI, generates human-like responses to queries and started a new AI frenzy.

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In the interview, Altman stated, "I think people really enjoy [ChatGPT]".

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Altman was excited about the revolutionary possibilities of AI, which he claimed will ultimately reflect "the collective strength, creativity, and will of humanity," but he was also worried about "authoritarian regimes" creating rival AI.

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“We are quite concerned about the emergence of authoritarian regimes,” Altman stated. Governments from other countries have already started introducing AI rivalry to the market.

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For instance, the Chinese tech company Baidu recently hosted a launch event for the Ernie bot, a chat AI that competes with ChatGPT.

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Altman called the remarks of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who declared whoever becomes the leader in AI technology "would be the dictator of the world," "chilling" years before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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Microsoft and Google have both actively increased their AI efforts. Microsoft selected Altman's OpenAI as a partner to incorporate its GPT technology into Bing search. Alphabet, the parent company of Google, recently launched the Bard AI chatbot, to mixed reviews from Google test users and workers.

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Although ChatGPT and similar AI tools haven't yet had a significant impact on the US electoral process, Altman said the 2024 election was a priority for the company.

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The CEO told ABC, "I'm particularly concerned that these models might be utilized for widespread deception.”

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Models "might be exploited for offensive cyberattacks now that they're growing better at writing computer code," he said.

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The coding prowess of ChatGPT has already left an impression on many developers. According to Altman, it already serves as a "co-pilot" for programmers, and OpenAI is striving to make this functionality available to "any profession."

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The CEO acknowledged that many people will lose their employment, but said that it would be a chance to create a better kind of position.

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“We are capable of having a considerably higher standard of living,” according to Altman. "People need time to adapt to new technology, to upgrade, and to react."