OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has projected that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) could become a reality by the year 2030, a breakthrough he believes will reshape economies, societies, and governance worldwide. Altman suggested that AI systems may soon be capable of performing up to 40% of current human tasks, from healthcare and education to finance and logistics.
While acknowledging the transformative opportunities, Altman emphasized the need for safety, governance, and ethical oversight. Without effective frameworks, he warned, AGI could amplify inequalities or destabilize institutions.
Altman also reflected on technology’s relationship with President Donald Trump, pointing to the complex interactions between Silicon Valley and Washington. He noted both tensions and opportunities in aligning technological progress with national and global policy.
His predictions underscore a defining challenge of our time — one that the Boston Global Forum (BGF) and the AI World Society (AIWS) have been addressing for nearly a decade. BGF has laid essential foundations through:
- The Social Contract for the AI Age (2020): A democratic framework ensuring AI serves human dignity, freedom, and inclusiveness.
- AIWS Government 24/7: A model for transparent, accountable, AI-assisted governance.
- The Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7: Ethical standards for AI-driven finance.
- The Global Alliance for Democratic AI and Digital Governance (2025): Uniting trusted democracies to shape responsible global AI frameworks.
As Altman points toward 2030 as the AGI horizon, these initiatives provide the roadmap for democracies to ensure AI strengthens peace, democracy, and human well-being rather than undermining them. The urgency of this work has never been clearer.
