Sam Altman says AI adoption is 'Non-negotiable' for global economies

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman argued that adopting artificial intelligence is "non-negotiable" for countries and global economies, comparing rejecting the technology to refusing electricity a century ago.

Speaking at the G20 Innovation Ministerial in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, alongside U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Altman emphasized that the economic advantages and productivity boosts are simply "too high to ignore".

Altman argued that while electricity came with early complexities and safety hurdles, society eventually adapted because functioning without it became impossible—a trajectory he expects AI to mirror.

He predicted that AI integration will unleash an unprecedented wave of global entrepreneurship and economic value.

Offering a glimpse into the future, Altman noted that children growing up today will inhabit a world where every service and product they interact with is natively intelligent and capable.

Altman, joined by other tech leaders like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, urged global policymakers to favor flexible frameworks over restrictive rules to avoid being left behind economically.

While tech executives heavily advocated for rapid adoption and self-regulation at the summit, the stance comes amid rising local pushback, ongoing debates over national security and cybersecurity risks, and mounting regulatory scrutiny from international bodies like the European Union.