As I’ve been experimenting with AI-assisted writing and editing, I’ve been thinking about how it will shake up the world of work and make many jobs go the way of the dodo.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has some deep thoughts about this exact subject.

I watched a video of Joanna Stern’s interviews with Altman and CTO Mira Murati at The Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live conference. This Altman guy’s sharp. Stern threw him some curveballs, but he didn’t flinch.

He says the disruption’s coming fast. Faster than the industrial or digital revolutions. Jobs? Poof. Gone. But he isn’t all doom and gloom. He says it’s not just about handing out universal basic income like Halloween candy. People need agency, a reason to get up in the morning.

Altman’s way with words impresses me. He says humans find “great satisfaction in doing something useful,” something that lets us “add something back to the trajectory of the species.” What a great way to describe that need and feeling most of us share.

But what jobs are already circling the drain? Cashiers? We already have machines for that. Truck drivers? Self-driving semis are on the horizon. Writers and editors? You’re reading AI-generated stories all over the place.

What about bartenders? Can you imagine a robot listening to your troubles or cutting you off when you’ve had one too many? Some jobs need the human touch. But others? Sayonara.

Is it all happening too fast? Hard to say. But one thing’s sure: We can’t cram this genie back in the bottle. We’re on this rollercoaster, and there’s no getting off. So, what’s the plan? Retrain? Find new gigs? Or do we just sit back on our lazy asses and let the machines take the wheel?

Altman’s right: We won’t run out of stuff to do. Humans are restless. We always have been. But must we eternally labor, always sing for our supper? Maybe not. But we’ll find new ways to contribute, to matter. We’re built that way.

I wish I weren’t clocking in at 70. I’m sliding down the far end of the bell curve and won’t be around to see AI’s full Monty. But for those who will, buckle up. It’s going to be one hell of a ride.