OpenAI Chief Economist: AI Will Not Replace Human Jobs

A chief economist at OpenAI has projected that the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) will not eliminate human jobs.
Bloomberg reported on June 30 (local time) that Ronnie Chatterji, chief economist at OpenAI, expressed this view at the European Central Bank (ECB) annual workshop held in Sintra, Portugal, stating, "Just because a task is exposed to AI does not mean that AI will replace it."
He supported this argument by citing the experience of his father, who was also an economist, when he adopted a personal computer (PC) in 1985.
He noted, "My father's work was heavily influenced by the PC," but added, "Over time, it increased his efficiency and, as a result, improved his productivity."
He explained that while his father previously had to use punch cards in a large room with a mainframe computer for regression analysis, the installation of a PC allowed him to perform the analysis on his own computer.
He further shared his perspective that job losses due to AI in the software development sector have not unfolded as expected.
He argued, "The prediction that jobs would decrease as AI capabilities increased has not materialized as people had anticipated."
He emphasized, "We need to think much more deeply about what jobs are and how they will evolve," adding, "Through such contemplation, we will be able to move beyond simply taking baseless optimistic or pessimistic stances and provide advice on labor market trends."
While the impact of AI on the economy has emerged as a key issue for major governments and central banks, ECB researchers have presented findings indicating that there are no signs of actual job reductions yet.
ECB President Christine Lagarde stated that while she believes Europe stands to gain significantly from the rapid adoption of AI, she is paying close attention to the issue of AI replacing jobs.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.