Sam Altman Says Gen Z Are The “Luckiest” Kids In History Despite AI Job Loss Fears: Here’s Why

Amid growing fears that AI is displacing human jobs, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has argued that Generation Z is actually the “luckiest” generation in history, thanks to technological advances. Speaking on the Huge If True podcast, he said, “I would feel like the luckiest kid in all of history,” while acknowledging that “some classes of jobs will totally go away.”

Addressing concerns about job loss, Altman described it as a recurring cycle, stating, “This always happens, and young people are the best at adapting to this.” He expressed more concern for older workers, saying, “I’m more worried about what it means, not for the 22-year-old, but for the 62-year-old that doesn’t want to go retrain or reskill or whatever the politicians call it.” He added that the AI era will enable young creators to quickly turn ideas into reality, giving them a unique advantage in adapting to change.

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For the unversed, former Google X chief business officer Mo Gawdat has warned that AI could dismantle the middle class entirely, disrupting society on a massive scale. Speaking about the technology’s rapid rise, he predicted that “hell” will begin as early as 2027, when AI starts eliminating white-collar jobs across industries — from software development to top executive roles. According to Gawdat, the impact will be widespread, with “no one spared”, leading to the erosion of livelihoods and a deep loss of purpose for many.

Gawdat foresees a grim 15-year period of “hell before we get to heaven”, marked by social unrest as people struggle to adapt. He painted a stark picture of wealth concentration, warning that “unless you’re in the top 0.1 per cent, you’re a peasant,” and claiming that artificial general intelligence (AGI) will eventually surpass humans in every role, even as CEOs. He stressed that those at the top often fail to consider that AI could replace them, too.

His warning echoes concerns from other AI pioneers. Geoffrey Hinton, widely regarded as the “godfather of AI”, has previously cautioned that the technology could evolve to create its own language, potentially making it impossible for humans to monitor or control AI systems. These fears stand in sharp contrast to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s recent optimism about the technology’s potential benefits for younger generations.

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