Altman: Some Companies Are Using AI as a Scapegoat for Layoffs
OpenAI CEO says "AI washing" lets companies blame artificial intelligence for job cuts they planned to make anyway.
Sam Altman has a new term for your vocabulary: "AI washing." The OpenAI CEO says some companies are conveniently blaming artificial intelligence for layoffs they would have carried out regardless.
It's a neat trick. Announce cuts, point at the robots, and suddenly you're not the bad guy — you're just adapting to the future. Altman acknowledges the practice exists alongside what he calls "real displacement by AI," where jobs are genuinely being automated away.
The distinction matters. If companies can hide routine cost-cutting behind the AI narrative, it muddies the water on actual workforce impact. It also lets executives dodge accountability while riding the hype cycle.
Altman framing it this way is notable. The guy building the most prominent AI tools is essentially saying: don't blame all of this on us. Some of these layoffs were coming no matter what.