Sam Altman urges limited screen time, stresses outdoor play for children

Sam Altman on Child Development: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman does not want his child to develop an addiction to iPads. Nowadays, children spend an excessive amount of time online; they remain glued to phones or tablets and have forgotten how to play with traditional toys. It is in light of this trend that Sam Altman made this statement. Altman expressed his concern regarding children who remain constantly glued to their iPads. Sam recently appeared on the *Mostly Human* podcast, where he reiterated that seeing children—slightly older than his own—from whom it is nearly impossible to take away an iPad leaves him feeling very distressed.

"I don't want my child to become addicted to iPads"—Sam

It is worth noting that Sam Altman and his husband, Oliver Mulherin, welcomed their first child via surrogacy in February 2025. Sam has stated that he does not want his child to become addicted to iPads. This is not the first time Sam has voiced concerns regarding children. Previously, Sam had also revealed that he utilized ChatGPT to seek advice on raising his child.

No Rush to Introduce ChatGPT

ChatGPT is arguably the world's most popular AI chatbot. Children and students frequently use this AI tool to complete homework assignments or to learn new things. However, Altman stated that he is in no rush to have his own child use his product. Instead, Sam wants his child to spend more time outdoors during their early years. "Go outside and play with your friends." Sam states, "I want him to play in the dirt right now."

Bill Gates Did Not Give His Children Phones Until They Were 14

Sam Altman is not the only prominent figure in Silicon Valley to hold such views regarding child-rearing. Jack Clark, co-founder of Anthropic, also recently revealed that he restricts his young child from watching YouTube because he is wary of the platform's algorithms. Furthermore, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates did not provide his children with mobile phones until they reached the age of 14. Similarly, Steve Jobs kept his children away from iPads.

Sam Is Not Opposed to Technology

However, this does not imply that Sam is opposed to the use of technology for children. He suggests that, in the future, students may gain access to various AI tools that will help accelerate the learning process through deep, personalized, and one-on-one tutoring sessions powered by AI. He noted that while this is excellent, one can also envision numerous scenarios where it could go wrong.

Essentially, Sam is advocating that young children should spend their time playing outdoors rather than being glued to iPads and mobile phones. Technology, he implies, can prove to be highly beneficial for children once they reach a more appropriate age.