Sam Altman says cognitive atrophy is one of the most overlooked risks of the AI era
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warns that over-reliance on AI tools could lead to 'cognitive atrophy,' where human mental capabilities weaken due to lack of use. Experts support this concern, noting that chronic substitution of cognitive tasks may impact long-term brain health.
Why it matters
This addresses the long-term societal and psychological implications of integrating generative AI into daily professional and personal workflows.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says AI could cause "cognitive atrophy" if people let it think for them. Altman said people must keep "stretching" their brains as AI takes on more tasks. He also outlined a "pretty magical" future with personalized AI, but said human judgment will still matter. Sam Altman says one of AI's underappreciated risks is that people may let the technology do so much thinking for them that their own mental muscles begin to weaken. "One that I don't think gets much attention is how are we going to avoid cognitive atrophy?" the OpenAI CEO said on an episode of the "Invest Like the Best" podcast that aired on Tuesday, when asked about the most important unresolved questions facing AI.
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