OpenAI Chairman Admits AI May Be Obviating His Programmer Role

OpenAI chairman Bret Taylor recently reflected on how AI tools like ChatGPT are reshaping not just the tech industry but also personal identities, as he admitted that the technology may be “obviating” his own role as a computer programmer. In a recent interview on the Acquired podcast, Taylor described AI as an “Iron Man suit” for workers, enhancing individual capabilities and enabling greater productivity across a range of tasks, including software development [1].

Taylor, a seasoned tech leader who has previously held key roles at Google, Salesforce, and Meta, and co-founded Google Maps, emphasized that AI is already altering the landscape of programming. He drew a parallel between the displacement of early human “computers” by electronic calculators and the potential redefinition of what it means to be a programmer in the age of AI. His remarks reveal a personal struggle with the idea that the tools he helped develop could ultimately make traditional programming roles obsolete [1].

At his own startup, Sierra, which he co-founded in 2023, Taylor has embraced AI integration as a core component of operations. He argued that employees must adopt these tools not just for convenience but as a necessity for maintaining competitive productivity. “You want people to adopt these tools because they want to—and you sort of need to ‘voluntell’ them to do it too,” he said, highlighting the urgency of AI adoption in today’s evolving work environment [1].

While Taylor remains optimistic about AI’s broader potential to revolutionize the internet and beyond, he acknowledges the deep disruption it will bring. He positioned this moment as a societal inflection point, akin in significance to the invention of the internet in the 20th century. Yet, he also recognized the emotional toll of such transitions, particularly for individuals whose identities are closely tied to their professional roles. “You’re going to have this period of transition where it’s saying, like, ‘How I’ve come to identify my own worth, either as a person or as an employee, has been disrupted,’” he noted, underscoring the human cost of technological advancement [1].

Taylor’s perspective captures a broader debate on the future of work, where AI is increasingly seen as both an enabler and a disruptor. His vision of a future where AI augments human potential offers a hopeful outlook, but he is clear that the path will involve navigating significant changes in how people work and define themselves professionally [1].

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[1] OpenAI's chairman says ChatGPT is 'obviating' his own job ... (Fortune) (https://fortune.com/2025/08/20/openai-chairman-chatgpt-bret-taylor-programmers-ai/)