Sam Altman said scrolling through his inbox without AI makes him feel productive
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman admits that he continues to manually manage his email inbox despite the availability of AI tools that could automate the process. He notes a psychological disconnect where manual labor feels more productive than automated efficiency.
Why it matters
This reflects the broader human challenge of adopting AI for routine tasks, even among those leading the AI revolution.
Sam Altman said checking his emails manually makes him feel more productive, even though AI could do it faster. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Sam Altman said he scrolls through emails manually, even though AI could help speed up the work. The OpenAI CEO said routine computer tasks have become linked in his mind with feeling productive. Other CEOs say they use strict systems, short replies, delegation, and AI to control their inboxes. Sam Altman says scrolling through his inbox makes him feel productive even though AI could do it faster. On an episode of David Senra's podcast, released Sunday, the OpenAI CEO said that even with Codex available, he still defaults to working through email manually.
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