The CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, has expressed concerns over the concept of remote work for tech companies. In a recently published interview with Fortune, he stated that remote work was one of the industry’s worst mistakes in a long time. He believes that startups need a lot of in-person time, especially when working on highly sensitive and nuanced ideas. Altman stated that even though he doesn’t like working in spaces with others, he feels strongly that startups need in-person time to thrive.
Altman is not alone in his thinking, as other CEOs have voiced their displeasure with remote work. Many employees have grown comfortable with the idea of working remotely with 60% of workers saying that remote work helps them meet deadlines and complete tasks. However, some CEOs fear that employees are spending their time working remotely at other jobs or using technologies like AI tools to substitute their time.
Even with the pandemic, remote work has had an impact on businesses, forcing them to weigh the pros and cons of using remote work as a permanent solution. Keith Rabois, a partner at Founders Fund, has made it clear that his firm is not interested in funding ventures that embrace remote work. On the other hand, many workers believe that remote work is a viable solution that allows them to forego time spent commuting and maintain productivity levels.
Overall, it seems that the concept of remote work for tech companies is still a topic of contention. As the business world adapts to the ever-changing pandemic environment, the challenges of remote work and in-person work continue to be debated.
