OpenAI’s Sam Altman: AI will definitely impact job market, but ‘we’ll find better things to do’

India AI Impact Summit 2026: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Thursday said India is currently leading the world in AI adoption and is poised to become one of the largest markets for the technology.

Altman, who is in New Delhi to attend the India AI Impact Summit 2026, acknowledged that the AI advancement will definitely impact the job market. But Altman said he remains confident in human adaptability.

“It (AI) will definitely impact the job market, but we always find new things to do, and I have no doubt we will find lots of better ones this time,” Altman is heard telling news agency ANI. Altman emphasised that throughout history, technological shifts have consistently led to the discovery of new, more meaningful work.

The rapid advances in AI and its use across sectors have triggered fears of job losses, especially in roles involving routine, repetitive, or data-driven tasks. Many workers worry that automation could replace both blue-collar and white-collar jobs, from factory work to coding and content creation.

The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is being held in Delhi from 16 February to 20 February, marking the first global AI Summit to be hosted in the Global South. The summit has attracted government policymakers, industry AI experts, academicians, technology innovators, and civil society representatives from across the world to advance global discussions on artificial intelligence.

India leading AI revolution: Altman

The Open AI CEP said that India is not just participating in the Artificial Intelligence revolution but leading it. He said that the work happening within India’s tech ecosystem is “amazing” and is currently setting a global pace. Altman identified India as a primary driver of future innovation, suggesting the nation will wield a “huge amount of influence” over how the technology evolves globally.

“It is amazing to be here, obviously, the work happening in India and the adoption of AI is leading the world, and I can’t wait to see what goes next,” he said.

OpenAI is an American artificial intelligence research organisation headquartered in San Francisco. It comprises the non-profit OpenAI Inc. and its for-profit subsidiary, OpenAI Global, LLC. OpenAI has seen its second-largest user base emerge from India. The company opened its first office in New Delhi last year.

Reliance Industries-owned JioHotstar on Thursday announced a partnership with OpenAI that is set to transform the viewing experience into a natural, voice-led interaction. The partnership will integrate ChatGPT-powered discovery and immersive features into the country’s biggest platform.

We always find new things to do, and I have no doubt we will find lots of better ones this time.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed the need to democratise artificial intelligence, while calling for a transparent approach to data sharing.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of The India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital, PM Modi also presented India’s MANAV Vision for AI, which he said will serve as a crucial link in advancing humanity’s welfare.