“Looking at what’s possible, it does feel surprisingly slow,” Sam Altman said recently on the topic of AI adoption rates. It is no surprise to see technology leaders bemoan the pace of AI diffusion – they have something to sell, after all. But bullish rhetoric about “unleashing” AI is badly out of touch with the sensibilities of many voters in the developed world. But economic change can be painful if it outpaces people’s ability to adapt. “In one, firms adopt AI at a pace the labour market can absorb,” he writes.

Source: The Irish Times April 02, 2026 16:14 UTC