Sam Altman is worried some young people have an 'emotional over-reliance' on ChatGPT when making decisions

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has expressed concerns regarding the increasing dependency of young individuals on ChatGPT for making personal decisions. During a recent banking conference organized by the Federal Reserve, Altman highlighted what he described as a troubling trend of "emotional over-reliance" on AI, particularly among the youth. He noted that many young people are saying things like, "I can't make any decision in my life without consulting ChatGPT. It knows me, it knows my friends, so I follow its advice." This reliance on AI for guidance troubles Altman, who believes that this phenomenon is alarmingly common among younger generations. Statistics underscore this trend, revealing that 72% of teenagers have interacted with AI companions, according to a report from Common Sense Media. Among those, half reported a level of trust in the advice provided by these AI systems. The survey also indicated that younger children exhibit a higher degree of trust, with 27% of respondents aged 13 to 14 expressing some level of confidence in AI, compared to 20% of those aged 15 to 17. Among those who trust AI companions, 23% indicated they feel a significant or total trust in the technology's guidance. Addressing his apprehensions at the conference, Altman remarked that OpenAI is actively exploring ways to manage this trend. He cautioned, "Even if ChatGPT offers superior advice compared to human therapists, the notion of allowing AI to dictate our life choices feels unsettling and potentially hazardous."