Altman: AI to Become Metered Utility Like Electricity
Sam Altman described AI as a metered utility due to finite compute and energy resources, highlighting infrastructure and financing challenges for data centers.
- Sam Altman, OpenAI chief executive officer, outlined metered AI at BlackRock's U.S. Infrastructure Summit on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, saying intelligence will be bought 'on a meter' like electricity.
- Facing rising costs and finite compute, Altman said OpenAI canceled its Stargate project in Texas and industry insiders called for a federal backstop to secure data-center financing.
- Altman described a token-based system where users pay for one million tokens monthly as a budget, then receive a bill for actual consumption based on model size and reasoning demands.
- The remarks immediately sparked debate as the public and online commentators questioned selling intelligence on a meter amid scrutiny of data centers and rising energy costs.
- Looking ahead, Altman argued that AI is crossing into a major economic utility, with cognitive capacity possibly eclipsing human capacity by late 2028, suggesting GDP and economic metrics need rethinking in a "forever deflationary world.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Sam Altman warns AI could upend jobs and the economy sooner than expected - Tech Startups
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman delivered a blunt message this week: artificial intelligence is moving into the workforce far faster than most people expect, and the shift could reshape jobs and the broader economy sooner than many leaders are ready for. […] The post Sam Altman warns AI could upend jobs and the economy sooner than expected first appeared on Tech Startups.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has a warning for all American technology companies; says: In America right now … - The Times of India
Tech News News: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly warned tech companies about the growing criticism that artificial intelligence (AI) is facing in the United State.
Pay For AI Like Electricity? Sam Altman Says Intelligence Could Soon Be Metered
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says the future of artificial intelligence may look much simpler than people expect. Speaking at a summit in Washington, DC, he suggested AI could soon function like a basic utility such as water or electricity, where users pay only for the computing power they consume., Technology & Science, Times Now
Sam Altman says AI will soon become a utility like electricity, people will buy it from him by the meter
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman believes artificial intelligence could soon become a basic service like electricity. Users may eventually pay for AI based on how much they use it, similar to a metered utility.
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