At the heart of the most prominent tech event, during OpenAI’s “DevDay,” CEO Sam Altman did not just announce new products but engaged in a deep and provocative conversation with Rowan Cheung from “The Rundown AI,” revealing shocking insights about the future of work, money, the billion-dollar madness, and even his envy of rebellious youth.

The Billion-Dollar Company

Altman revealed the growing importance of artificial intelligence in empowering individuals to the extent that he and his friends are betting on the emergence of the first solo company valued at one billion dollars.

But the thinking did not stop at the individual level; it went further. Altman pointed out that discussions within tech circles are shifting toward the emergence of the first “personless” company ever; where trained AI agents will manage every task from financing to marketing and operations. This vision paves the way for a revolution in the business model requiring only an initial investor, then leaving smart robots to steer the entire course.

Defining Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)

Altman tried to draw a clear line for what he considers “Artificial General Intelligence (AGI),” noting that this concept will be realized when “AI surpasses humans in the most economically valuable tasks.” Although he admitted the definition remains “vague at best,” he emphasized that AGI’s capabilities will be transformative, especially in science and mathematics, where it will help humans achieve major or minor discoveries or at least provide “a new perspective on things.”

The Trap of “AI Work Waste”

The OpenAI CEO addressed the problem of “AI neglect in work,” using the definition from a Harvard Business Review study of “AI work waste,” described as “AI-generated work content that pretends to be good but lacks the essence necessary for meaningful progress.”

However, Altman expressed optimism, affirming that “the economy self-corrects.” Individuals and companies that use these tools to increase productivity will outperform those who misuse them, making institutions slow and unproductive. The message is clear: AI will empower the efficient and punish the negligent.

Generation Z and the New Dropouts

In a touching personal admission, Altman said he feels “envy” toward “the current generation of young people who dropped out in their twenties.” He attributed this envy to the vast amount of things they can now build thanks to AI tools, which was not available when he left Stanford University two decades ago.

At the end of his talk, Altman expressed some sadness about himself, admitting that OpenAI’s control over his thinking and depriving him of “a truly free mental space” to think about building new startups is “a bit unfortunate.”