New Delhi: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has sparked fresh debate over the narrative around artificial intelligence and job losses, asserting that some companies are using AI as a convenient excuse to cut jobs even when the technology isn’t the core reason. Altman described the practice as “AI washing” — a phenomenon where firms cite AI-driven transformation as the catalyst for layoffs that were already planned or driven by other business pressures.
Altman also stressed that AI will impact jobs, there is also the possibility for new opportunities. He explained, “We’ll find new kinds of jobs, as we do with every tech revolution,” he added. “But I would expect that the real impact of AI doing jobs in the next few years will begin to be palpable,” he added.
Altman made the remarks at the ongoing India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, where he was speaking to CNBC-TV18 about the future of work in a world increasingly shaped by generative AI and automation.
“I don’t know what the exact percentage is, but there’s some AI washing where people are blaming AI for layoffs that they would otherwise do,” Altman said, highlighting confusion around what AI is truly doing to labour markets.
‘AI’s genuine impact on jobs is real and accelerating’
Altman stressed that AI’s genuine impact on jobs is real and accelerating, but that public perception is clouded by companies that label routine restructuring, over-hiring corrections, or cost reductions as AI-driven layoffs.
Altman’s comments highlight a growing need for clarity in how AI’s impact on employment is described and understood. By calling out “AI washing,” he has shifted part of the conversation toward how companies communicate the reasons behind layoffs, while also pointing toward a future where skills, adaptability and AI collaboration become central to workforce evolution.
