Sam Altman says he overestimated how quickly artificial intelligence would reshape the economy and disrupt established software businesses.
In an interview with David Senra, the OpenAI CEO said he initially expected the release of GPT-4 in 2023 to put much of the software industry “up for grabs.” Instead, companies and consumers have largely continued using familiar products and maintaining existing habits.
Altman said the slower transition suggests AI leaders were too aggressive with their timelines. While the technology is advancing rapidly, changing how people work, buy software, and run businesses has proven more difficult than expected.
He compared the situation to the early 2000s, when Netflix had already introduced DVD delivery but millions of customers continued visiting Blockbuster stores. For Altman, the example shows how strongly habits can delay adoption even when better technology is already available.
The comments mark a more measured tone from earlier AI-industry predictions that suggested artificial intelligence could quickly transform businesses, eliminate jobs, and disrupt traditional software companies.
Altman said the slower pace may ultimately be positive, giving businesses and society more time to adjust to AI-driven changes.