OpenAI's Dots head says AI means workers now have a choice between doing less or more

Attendees at OpenAI's DevDay conference on September 29, 2026.

Minh Connors/Bloomberg via Getty Images OpenAI's Alexander Embiricos said the AI era gives a choice: work more, or work less.

He's in charge of Dots, the company's new always-on work assistant.

AI is often pitched as freeing up time.

Embiricos responded to the idea that it might add more work.

As the competitive AI race pushes tech workers into long hours, the head of OpenAI's new Dots product says AI gives people another option: work a whole lot less.

Alexander Embiricos, who leads OpenAI's enterprise product and helms the new Dots agent tool , told a crowd at TechCrunch's Disrupt conference on Thursday that AI's capabilities have created something of a fork in the road for workers.

You can grind to meet the moment.

Or you can use AI to kick your feet up a little.

"We basically have a lot more choice now," he said.

Embiricos made the comments after a reporter asked about when AI systems will actually deliver more free time.

The reporter shared an anecdote where an OpenAI employee used a ChatGPT mobile feature to work in their car and on a plane — not exactly liberated by the new tech.

Embiricos said that the moment has already arrived where a worker can "outsource" tasks to AI and do less work.

Then again, some people are so excited about AI's potential that they feel like it's an "interesting, ripe moment" to put in extra hours.