As per Futurism, his comments come at a time when OpenAI is investing heavily in long-term infrastructure while also acknowledging short-term financial pressure. Despite slowing hiring and rising operating costs, Altman remains confident that AI-driven productivity will eventually reduce expenses for individuals and businesses alike.
OpenAI is committing more than $1 trillion toward building large-scale data centres, a move that reflects its belief in an AI-led future, according to reporting by Futurism. At the same time, Altman has admitted that the company is burning billions of dollars each quarter, prompting leadership to significantly slow recruitment.
Even with these constraints, Altman used the town hall to reinforce OpenAI’s broader mission. When questioned about whether AI could help address long-standing economic gaps, he explained that the technology is expected to put sustained downward pressure on prices rather than push costs higher.
Why Altman expects prices to fall
Altman’s argument centres on productivity. He believes AI will allow individuals to do work that once required entire teams, especially in computer-based fields such as software development. He has suggested that relatively modest spending on AI systems could soon enable one person to complete projects far faster and at far lower cost than was previously possible.According to Altman, similar efficiencies could extend beyond software into robotics and other emerging technologies, creating a situation where producing goods and services becomes significantly cheaper. As prices fall, money would stretch further, effectively increasing purchasing power without raising wages.
He has shared similar views before, including at a private Morgan Stanley conference earlier this year, where he reportedly described AI as a force likely to reduce costs across the global economy.The idea that AI could usher in an era of abundance is not unique to Altman. Figures such as Elon Musk and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei have also spoken publicly about futures where people work less and basic needs become easier to afford. Musk has even suggested that saving money may one day become unnecessary if scarcity disappears.
Altman’s version of this vision focuses more on empowerment, arguing that lower costs and better tools could give individuals greater control over their economic lives.
The gap between prediction and reality
Despite these forecasts, current economic indicators tell a different story. The US Federal Reserve recently kept interest rates unchanged, citing persistent inflation concerns. At the same time, long-term unemployment has reached a four-year high, and living costs continue to rise, particularly in major urban centres.
Research cited by Futurism also raises questions about AI’s present-day impact. Several studies suggest that, so far, AI has failed to deliver widespread productivity gains. In some workplaces, usage of AI tools has reportedly declined, with employees saying the technology does not meaningfully improve their output.
