Artificial intelligence is often described as a powerful technology that could transform industries, jobs, and daily life. However, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman believes the future of AI may actually be much simpler than people imagine.
Speaking at the BlackRock US Infrastructure Summit in Washington, DC, Altman compared AI to everyday utilities such as electricity or water. According to him, AI may eventually become a service that people use whenever they need it, paying only for the amount they consume.
“We see a future where intelligence is a utility like electricity or water and people buy it from us on a meter and use it for whatever they want,” Altman said.
AI could become a pay-to-use service
Sam Altman suggested that instead of paying for expensive software subscriptions or owning powerful computers, people may simply plug into AI services when they need help with tasks. Users could pay based on how much “intelligence” they consume, much like electricity bills are calculated.
In such a model, businesses and individuals would not need to own advanced hardware or maintain large computing systems. Instead, AI could run through cloud infrastructure and be available instantly for activities such as coding, research, writing, or data analysis. This approach could make AI easier to access and potentially cheaper for users.
AI already transforming industries
During the discussion, Sam Altman also touched upon how quickly AI systems are being adopted across different sectors. In particular, he pointed to software development as one of the areas where AI is already making a noticeable impact.
Modern AI systems can assist engineers with coding tasks that would normally take several hours. Beyond programming, these tools are also being used in scientific research, education, and other knowledge-intensive fields.
According to Altman, many companies are already seeing AI perform tasks faster than when they were expected to take years to develop.
Massive infrastructure will power the AI future
Despite the idea being simple, Sam Altman stated that building this AI-as-a-utility future will require enormous infrastructure. Running advanced AI models needs massive data centres equipped with specialised chips and large amounts of electricity.
To support this demand, OpenAI has been investing in computing infrastructure alongside partners such as Amazon, Nvidia, and SoftBank. Sam Altman described these data centres as huge campuses where thousands of workers build and maintain systems capable of delivering AI services at scale.
Ultimately, Altman’s vision is to make artificial intelligence widely accessible, ensuring it becomes a common tool used by individuals and businesses rather than a technology controlled by only a few companies.