Silicon Valley has always been known for bold ideas, but the recent launch of OpenAI-linked startup Mechanize has stirred an unprecedented wave of criticism — and for good reason. The startup, founded by acclaimed AI researcher Tamay Besiroglu, has openly declared its mission to fully automate the global economy and replace all human labor with AI agents.
Announced via a now-viral post on X, OpenAI-linked startup Mechanize is positioning itself as the company that will spearhead “the full automation of all work.” Besiroglu — who also leads the nonprofit AI research group Epoch — sparked immediate controversy both for the scope of the startup’s ambitions and for the ethical concerns tied to his dual roles in research and business.
At its core, OpenAI-linked startup Mechanize plans to develop the data, benchmarks, and digital environments needed to replace human workers across industries. Besiroglu even framed the startup’s addressable market as the total sum of global wages, estimating it at over $60 trillion annually — a figure that underscores the disruptive potential of the company’s vision.
Yet the boldness of the idea has not landed well with everyone. Many of Besiroglu’s fellow researchers and AI ethicists expressed alarm over the announcement, fearing the consequences of a fully automated labor market. Critics argue that removing human labor at scale would decimate the very economic foundation upon which consumer demand is built.
Notably, Besiroglu clarified that OpenAI-linked startup Mechanize is initially focusing on automating white-collar work — tasks that AI can handle without physical robotics — but this hasn’t done much to ease public concern. The backlash was swift and severe, with many voices on X questioning the moral implications of such a venture.
Even prominent AI experts expressed disappointment. Anthony Aguirre, co-founder of the Future of Life Institute, posted:
“Huge respect for the founders’ work at Epoch, but sad to see this. The automation of most human labor is indeed a giant prize for companies… but a huge loss for most humans.”
Some critics also raised concerns about the potential conflict of interest between Mechanize and Epoch, the AI research nonprofit known for providing benchmarks on AI capabilities. Past incidents — including OpenAI’s influence over one of Epoch’s model evaluation tools — had already cast a shadow of doubt over the organization’s neutrality. The launch of Mechanize seems to have deepened that skepticism.
Despite the heated debate, OpenAI-linked startup Mechanize has attracted heavyweight investors, including tech luminaries like Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Patrick Collison, Jeff Dean, and crypto hedge fund executive Marcus Abramovitch. Abramovitch defended the investment, stating:
“The team is exceptional across many dimensions and have thought deeper on AI than anyone I know.”
For his part, Besiroglu maintains that the long-term vision of OpenAI-linked startup Mechanize is to generate “explosive economic growth,” arguing that a world of fully automated labor could lead to unprecedented wealth, new products, and improved living standards for all — assuming economic systems adapt accordingly.
Yet many remain unconvinced. Critics have pointed out the paradox of a world where AI agents produce endless goods and services, but few humans retain the purchasing power to benefit from them, especially if jobs become obsolete at scale.
Besiroglu countered this concern by suggesting human incomes might evolve beyond wages, hinting at dividends, rents, and government welfare as future income sources in an AI-driven economy.
While the debate around OpenAI-linked startup Mechanize rages on, one fact remains clear: AI agents are still far from capable of replacing the modern workforce. Besiroglu admits that today’s AI systems struggle with reliability, long-term planning, and complex task execution — all of which Mechanize hopes to solve.
The controversy also highlights the larger arms race in the tech world to develop powerful AI agent platforms, a race involving giants like OpenAI, Microsoft, Salesforce, and dozens of specialized startups.
In the meantime, Besiroglu has one more message for the world: OpenAI-linked startup Mechanize is hiring.
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