‘My Kid Will Never Be Smarter Than AI’: 5 Things About AI Sam Altman Says That Should Worry Us

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is one of the key names in the world of artificial intelligence today and also one of its most candid. In a recent podcast interview with Theo Von, Altman peeled back the glossy layer of AI and revealed its future that is as uncertain as it is powerful. 

While he remains optimistic, several of his comments highlight real, pressing concerns that warrant public attention. Here are five takeaways from Altman that should make us pause - and maybe worry a little.

1. “My Kid Will Never Be Smarter Than AI”

Altman made this statement casually, but it hits hard. If children born today grow up knowing machines will always outmatch them, what does that do to their sense of self-worth, ambition, or purpose?

This isn’t about losing at chess - it’s about growing up in a world where products and services are always smarter, faster, and more capable than any human. That’s a deep shift in how we understand intelligence and human potential.

2. AI Companions Could Become Emotional Crutches

He admitted concern over people using AI as virtual companions, especially in emotionally vulnerable situations. Many young users are already confiding in chatbots about depression, relationships, and identity issues. But unlike therapists, AI doesn’t come with ethics or confidentiality laws.

“There are a lot of people who talk to ChatGPT all day long… like a boyfriend or girlfriend,” Altman said. That level of dependence could lead to mental health impacts we haven’t even begun to understand.

3. There Are No Clear Privacy Laws for AI Conversations

Right now, if you tell a therapist something personal, it’s legally protected. But if you share it with ChatGPT? “We could be required to produce that,” Altman revealed.

AI has entered the space of deep personal trust without the legal guardrails. That means your most private thoughts, once typed into a chatbot, could potentially be exposed in lawsuits or investigations.

4. Mass Job Losses Are Likely, And Nobody Has a Plan

Altman doesn’t deny it: Some jobs will simply vanish. Truckers, call centre agents, even coders - many could be replaced, not reshaped. While he suggests universal basic income (UBI) or “universal basic wealth” as solutions, he admits, “I don’t know” what will actually work.

If the people building AI don’t have a clear answer for how regular people will survive economically, that’s reason enough to be worried.

5. Surveillance Is Inevitable and Dangerous

One of Altman’s biggest fears? That AI’s power will lead governments to demand more surveillance - not less.

“The tools are so powerful, governments will say: ‘How do we know people aren’t using it to make bombs or bioweapons?’ And the answer will be more surveillance,” he warned. That could mean more data tracking, fewer rights, and a trade-off between safety and freedom that tilts dangerously towards the former.

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