OpenAI CEO Sam Altman challenged the prevailing narrative that widespread artificial intelligence adoption leads directly to mass layoffs, stating that the companies embracing AI the most are simultaneously hiring the most. Speaking during a CNBC interview on Monday at the groundbreaking ceremony for a massive 1 gigawatt data center in Saline Township, Michigan, Altman noted that organizations citing AI as the reason for workforce reductions are typically those adopting the technology the least. He suggested that AI is often used as a convenient explanation for layoffs that might have occurred regardless of technological changes. While Altman remains uncertain about the long-term employment impact, his outlook has grown more optimistic after observing the deployment of OpenAI's coding tools. He admitted he previously underestimated the limitations of current models, describing them as jagged. While these systems excel at specific, discrete tasks, they struggle with long-term, complex task supervision. This nuance is crucial as the tech industry faces growing anxiety regarding the future of white-collar jobs. Prominent figures such as Microsoft's Mustafa Suleyman and Anthropic's Dario Amodei have warned of potential displacement, and major firms like Block, Cisco, Coinbase, Snap, and Salesforce have recently cited AI in connection with job cuts. Public sentiment reflects this unease; a March Pew Research Center poll indicated that half of Americans are more concerned than excited about AI's integration into daily life. During the interview, Altman expressed regret over a past press release regarding GPT-4.5 which claimed the model outperformed professionals across 44 occupations. He acknowledged that this phrasing likely contributed to public fear. He clarified that the intended message should have been that the model outperforms professionals only at small, specific tasks within those occupations, a distinction he believes is more accurate and less alarming. He emphasized that this technological shift is generational in scale, making public anxiety understandable. The interview took place in front of heavy construction equipment for the new data center, which is expected to deliver power five times greater than the average current project. OpenAI has marketed the initiative as a significant economic boost for the region, projecting the creation of 2,500 union construction jobs and 450 permanent on-site positions. However, the project has also sparked local controversy, leading to the resignation of Saline Township Treasurer Jennifer Zink, who cited violent threats received since the project's approval. Altman remarked that while statistical projections on jobs and capital are impressive, they fail to convey the visceral feeling of watching such a massive project materialize in a community. OpenAI did not immediately comment on further requests for information.