Sam Altman says he got ‘addicted’ to TikTok, including a Saturday afternoon where he scrolled ‘for like 3 hours’
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed he deleted TikTok after becoming addicted to the app's recommendation algorithm. He initially used the platform to study its mechanics for a now-abandoned social media project at OpenAI.
Why it matters
It highlights the pervasive power of algorithmic engagement and the irony of an AI leader struggling with the same addictive technology his industry helps create.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, seen here, most likely not using TikTok, said TikTok was so "powerful" he had to delete the app that kept sucking him in. Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said he had to quit TikTok. Altman said he began using the popular app when OpenAI was preparing to launch its own social network. Ultimately, Altman said he got "addicted" and realized he needed to stop scrolling. Even Sam Altman is guilty of getting sucked into TikTok. "I deleted TikTok because it was just too powerful," he said during a recent episode of the "Relentless" podcast. The OpenAI CEO said he forced himself to learn more about TikTok as the AI giant began building (and ultimately abandoned) a TikTok-esque AI-generated video social media app called Sora. "I made myself get addicted to TikTok, because I wanted to just learn," Altman said.
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