OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says he underestimated how slowly AI would reshape the economy as the company reported $6.7 billion in second-quarter revenue.
Key Points:
- OpenAI reported $6.7 billion in second-quarter revenue as Altman acknowledged AI adoption is moving more slowly than he expected.
- Altman said economic inertia and established work habits are delaying disruption even as AI capabilities improve.
- He expects human interaction to remain valuable as more work becomes digital and automated.
Altman AI Timeline
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that OpenAI generated $6.7 billion in the quarter ended in June, up 17.5% from $5.7 billion in the first quarter. Its operating loss rose 32.3% to $12.3 billion.
In an interview with freelance journalist David Senra, Altman said he had expected GPT-4 to put software businesses "up for grabs right away" and trigger much faster economic disruption. That did not happen.
Altman said "the economy just has so much inertia," with people continuing to use familiar companies, tools and routines even when more capable AI products are available. He called that resistance positive because it could make the transition smoother, but said "we've all been too ambitious on timelines."
Also Read: Nvidia Puts Groq 3 LPX Into Full Production for Agentic AI
OpenAI Adoption Gap
Altman said the gap between capability and adoption is visible in everyday work, where people still move between applications, scroll through email, and copy and paste information. Those habits have persisted despite OpenAI building tools that can automate or simplify parts of those workflows.
He also criticized the AI industry's public messaging, saying it had focused heavily on catastrophic risks and job losses without explaining practical benefits or how potential downsides could be limited.
The debate, he argued, often skips how AI could give people more power and personal freedom.
Altman still expects AI systems to improve rapidly, but he does not believe better automation will eliminate the value of human interaction. He said people will continue to seek other people even when AI can produce stronger content, conduct more capable conversations or complete work more efficiently.
OpenAI's own history reflects that slower path: Altman said the company, founded in 2016, spent about four and a half years before reaching a major breakthrough. Even after ChatGPT launched, some employees doubted its growth would last, while investor Peter Thiel urged Altman to focus on the chatbot as a new interface similar to Google search.
Read Next: Gold Breakout Puts $4,900 Target Back On The Table
