OpenAI CEO Sam Altman believes AI is on the verge of helping humans make genuine discoveries and solve complex business problems.

Speaking at the Snowflake Summit 2025, Altman likened today's AI agents to junior employees, saying they increasingly take on tasks and improve through iteration.

He predicted that by next year, AI agents could contribute to uncovering new knowledge and providing non-trivial business solutions.

His comments come amid a growing shift in the labour market, with firms like Shopify and Duolingo replacing human roles with AI systems to cut costs and increase efficiency.

Recent data shows a 19% drop in AI-performable tasks in online job postings over the last three years. Roles in IT and database administration have seen hiring reductions of over 30%, highlighting how AI is actively reshaping employment.

Altman also highlighted OpenAI's latest tools, such as Codex and GPT-4.5, designed to handle increasingly sophisticated tasks like coding and software integration.

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