Sam Altman wants an AI to replace him as OpenAI’s CEO: “Shame on me…”

Sam Altman

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has once again stirred the conversation around artificial intelligence and the future of work — this time suggesting that he hopes an AI will one day take over his own job. Speaking on the Conversations with Tyler podcast, Altman said, “Shame on me if OpenAI is not the first big company run by an AI CEO.”

Altman described the idea as a thought experiment, questioning what would need to happen for an AI system to outperform him in running OpenAI. “It’s a very interesting question — what would it take for an AI CEO to do a much, much better job of running OpenAI than me? That day will clearly come. The question is, how can we accelerate it?” he said.

While Altman acknowledged that AI managing an entire company is still some time away, he predicted that within a few years, AI systems could become capable of running full departments independently. However, he also admitted that human trust remains a major barrier, suggesting that even if AI performs better, people still prefer human leadership. “People trust humans more than machines, even when that trust is irrational,” he said. “An AI doctor may outperform a human one, but most people still want a human in charge.”

This isn’t the first time Altman has expressed comfort with the idea of automation replacing his role. In a past conversation with Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner, he had said, “It doesn’t scare me or make me sad. I built something that could automate my job — that’s what I wanted to achieve.”

As for what life after OpenAI might look like, Altman said he’d likely retreat to his farm, where he spends part of his time already. “I really love it there. It’s a wonderful change of pace — you’re not just enjoying the farm, you’re actually working and doing things in nature,” he said.

Altman’s remarks come amid growing global anxiety about AI replacing jobs. But unlike most executives, he appears unfazed — even eager — to see the technology eventually replace him.