The New Intern is an AI, Sam Altman Signals a Workforce Revolution as Gen Z Welcomes Their Digital Coworkers. The workplace is undergoing its most profound transformation since the industrial revolution. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently declared that artificial intelligence has reached a critical threshold: AI systems can now perform work equivalent to entry-level employees and interns. But instead of resisting this shift, Generation Z is embracing AI as a collaborative partner – with 51% viewing it as a “co-worker or friend” according to recent surveys. This unexpected human-AI dynamic signals not displacement, but the dawn of a new collaborative paradigm in professional environments.