'Like a Drug': Sam Altman Deletes TikTok and Turns Off All Notifications Following Sora Research

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently experienced the gripping allure of short-form video firsthand, leading to a personal digital detox. Speaking on the How to Start a Startup podcast, Altman revealed that he deliberately immersed himself in TikTok to study the mechanics of short-form video engagement while his company was developing its AI video generator, Sora.

The Slippery Slope of Doomscrolling

Altman’s primary goal was to understand the platform's highly engaging user experience so that OpenAI could avoid building products that trigger similar "compulsive engagement" and absorb excessive amounts of users' time. However, the tech executive soon found himself falling down the algorithmic rabbit hole.

What started as a planned 10-minute nightly wind-down quickly escalated into prolonged doomscrolling sessions. Altman admitted that his screen time stretched into hours, recalling one specific Saturday afternoon where he scrolled for three hours straight. He described the immediate gratification and dopamine hit provided by the platform as being "like a drug."

A 'Big Life Upgrade' Realizing the app's negative impact on his attention span and time management, Altman decided to intervene. He deleted TikTok entirely from his device to reclaim his time.

Taking his digital boundaries a step further, the OpenAI chief executive also disabled all notifications on his smartphone, including alerts from messaging apps. He described the aggressive digital detox as a "big life upgrade," allowing him to focus without constant digital interruptions.

Warnings on the Future of AI Hardware

Beyond his personal social media habits, Altman used the podcast appearance to look ahead at the broader technological landscape. He teased OpenAI's upcoming AI-powered hardware devices, generating anticipation for the company's next major product frontier.

While predicting that the forthcoming devices will be "incredible" and "empowering" for users, he did not shy away from the potential downsides. Altman cautioned that, like highly compulsive social media algorithms, the new hardware technology could be misused in ways that might ultimately make people's lives worse if not carefully managed.