Anger Management: Altman Promises AI Won’t Cause a Jobs Apocalypse

Silicon Valley’s PR machine is shifting into firefighting mode. On May 26, 2026, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman publicly stated that the development of artificial intelligence is unlikely to lead to a "jobs apocalypse."

This shift in rhetoric looks like a planned anti-crisis maneuver. Altman’s statement contrasts sharply with harsh macroeconomic reality: just a week ago, British megabank Standard Chartered fired 7,000 back-office employees, explicitly citing AI automation as the reason. However, on the threshold of the largest IPO in the industry's history (preparations for which were reported by the FT on May 23), it is vital for OpenAI to reduce social tension. Investors do not like assets that threaten massive strikes and severe union backlash. Sam Altman is selling a soothing illusion to Wall Street and regulators while algorithms continue to methodically scrub line staff from corporate budgets.

Source: Reuters / The Next Web