OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said U.S. policymakers must act now to prepare for advanced artificial intelligence, warning that the technology is moving from theory to everyday economic applications.
Altman told Axios in an interview that AI systems can already handle coding and research tasks that once required teams of programmers. The new model will go further, helping scientists make important discoveries and allowing individuals to complete the work of entire teams, he said.
This shift is already evident in cybersecurity, where some industry leaders say artificial intelligence is tipping the balance in favor of attackers.
For example, Charles Guillemet, chief technology officer of hardware wallet maker Ledger, told CoinDesk that AI tools are reducing the cost and skill required to find and exploit software flaws. Tasks that once took months, such as reverse engineering code or linking multiple vulnerabilities, can now be accomplished in seconds with the right prompts.
Last year, more than $1.4 billion in crypto industry assets were stolen or lost in attacks. Guilleme said that number is likely to continue to grow. Additionally, developers are increasingly relying on AI-generated code, which could introduce new flaws at scale.
Countermeasures will require stronger defenses such as mathematically verified code, hardware devices that keep private keys offline and a broader recognition that systems can fail, he said.
Artificial intelligence in the fields of network and biosecurity
While Altman noted that AI could accelerate drug discovery or materials science, he also noted that it could also enable more powerful cyberattacks and lower barriers to pest research. Such threats could emerge within a year, making coordination among governments, technology companies and security groups urgent.
“We’re not that far away from a world where there are very powerful, open-source models that are very good at biology,” he said. “Society needs to be resilient to terrorist groups using these models to try to create new pathogens, and this is no longer a theoretical thing.”
Another example he raised was a “world-shaking cyberattack” that could occur as early as this year. He said avoiding that would require “a lot of work.”
He uses OpenAI’s policy ideas as a starting point, aiming to advance the debate on how to manage systems that learn quickly and act across multiple domains. He said it’s important to use artificial intelligence to help defend against these potential attacks.
Regarding the potential nationalization of OpenAI, Altman said the argument against it hinges on the need for the United States to achieve “superintelligence” before its competitors.
“The biggest argument against nationalization is that we need the United States to succeed in building superintelligence before other countries in a way that is consistent with American democratic values,” he said. “As a government project, this may not work, and I think that’s a sad thing.”
Still, Altman said he believes companies involved in artificial intelligence must work closely with the U.S. government.
Given Altman’s role at OpenAI, the development of the industry is also closely related to Altman. That stance could influence how he frames regulatory urgency and the role of private companies like OpenAI in managing emerging risks, which could affect the company’s competitive position.
Artificial Intelligence as a Practical Tool
Energy is one area where he sees rapid progress because greater processing power can lower costs as demand for artificial intelligence grows.
Altman also pointed to early signs of workforce shifts. Programmers in 2026 will already work differently than they did a year ago, he said.
AI will become a utility, like electricity, embedded in devices, while the cost of basic intelligence drops while top-tier systems remain expensive.
“You’re going to have a personal super assistant running in the cloud,” Altman said. “If you use it frequently or use it at a high intellectual level, your bill for the month is higher, and if you use it less, your bill for the month is lower.”
“It is extremely important that the people building AI are people of high integrity and trustworthiness.”
