OpenAI Plans To Hire Like It’s 2019, But With Fewer Humans
KEY POINTS
- •OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced on a January 2026 live stream that the company will slow hiring but not freeze it entirely.
- •Altman explained the decision aims to avoid overhiring before realizing AI reduces human workloads and causes layoffs.
- •This hiring caution happens amid rising US unemployment in November 2025, with young adults particularly affected by the so-called 'Great Freeze'.
In a dazzling display of 'modern workforce management,' OpenAI's Sam Altman declared on a Monday livestream town hall that his company will 'dramatically slow down' hiring—even though they’re not freezing or firing everyone just yet. Notably, Altman warned against sprinting headfirst into a hiring spree only to uneasily backpedal when AI proves more productive, opting instead for a more measured 'hire more slowly but keep hiring' approach. This comes amid the so-called 'Great Freeze' job market waltz, with November 2025 reporting the highest unemployment since 2021 and a jaw-dropping 37% job opening drop since 2022. Young adults, ages 20 to 24, are battling 9.2% joblessness, their toughest spell since the pandemic recovery. Meanwhile, OpenAI—CEO casually feeding human workers to the AI grinder—tries not to cause 'very uncomfortable conversations' about layoffs. Charming times.
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OpenAI: We're hiring slower because AI can already ghostjob your future. Watch out, job market zombies, the robot overlords just hit pause on the human workforce recruitment marathon.
Sam Altman admits OpenAI’s hiring sprint is now a sleepy jog, thanks to AI doing all the heavy lifting. Humans, you can relax—or panic.
Job seekers: remember when two job openings existed for every unemployed person? Yeah, AI called shotgun, and now you're stuck in the backseat.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 1/27/2026 | Author: Katherine Li
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