By Ella McIlveen
Publication Date: 2026-03-13 01:42:00
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has sparked debate after suggesting that artificial intelligence could soon be sold like electricity or water – with users paying for “intelligence” at a meter.
The ChatGPT creator made the bold prediction during an appearance at the BlackRock US Infrastructure Summit in Washington this week, where he detailed his forecast for how AI will evolve as demand continues to grow.
“We see a future where intelligence is a utility, like electricity or water, and people will buy it from us through a meter,” Altman said.
“Basically our business, and I think every other model provider’s business, will be to sell tokens.
“They can come from larger or smaller models, which makes them more or less expensive. They can use more or fewer arguments, which also makes them more or less expensive.”
“They may be running in the background all the time, trying to help you. They may only run when you need them, if you want to pay less. They may work…
