OpenAI’s Thomas Jeng on why AI won’t replace founders anytime

OpenAI’s APAC startups lead Thomas Jeng has a warning for founders worried AI is about to replace them: calm down. The tools are getting smarter at breakneck speed, but the people building the future are still very much in the driver’s seat. Speaking with Startup 360 co-hosts Simon Thomsen and Majella Campbell, Thomas - a former founder, VC operator and now OpenAI’s first startup hire across Asia Pacific - unpacked what AI can actually do for startups right now, where the hype goes too far, and why Australia’s startup ecosystem continues to punch above its weight globally. Throughout the conversation, Thomas’ core message remained consistent: AI is an incredible accelerator, but not a substitute for human insight.“If you’re breaking new ground, there will inevitably be things the AI does not know,” he said, pointing to the irreplaceable value of customer conversations, market intuition and founder conviction. The discussion also veered into the increasingly human side of AI adoption. Thomas shared that he uses ChatGPT to help explain Singapore maths to his children, plan family holidays, analyse parenting advice and even think through relationships. But he’s also cautious about over dependence, particularly for kids. For founders overwhelmed by the pace of AI, his advice was refreshingly practical: don’t try to automate your entire business overnight.“Probably pretty much everyone can take one step forward,” he said. Whether it’s improving one workflow, connecting a new data source, or simply learning to prompt better, the biggest gains often start small. Startup 360 is all about staying human and finding out what makes people tick. This show is a SmartCo Media production, produced and edited by Matt Jackson, and supported by Deel. Hire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere.Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and read StartupDaily.net for all the ANZ tech news for free!