Sam Altman Deleted TikTok After Calling It an Addictive Experience

OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman has shared a personal experience about social media that many users may relate to. Speaking on a recent podcast, Altman revealed that he eventually removed TikTok from his phone after realizing the platform had become surprisingly addictive. What began as a short daily habit slowly turned into hours of continuous scrolling, prompting him to rethink his digital routine.

Altman explained that he originally started using TikTok while OpenAI was developing its AI video generation platform, Sora. His goal was not simply entertainment but to better understand why users spend so much time on short video platforms. He wanted firsthand insight into user behavior so his team could avoid creating products that demand excessive attention from people.

According to Altman, he initially believed he could limit his TikTok usage to just ten minutes before going to bed. However, the habit quickly grew beyond his expectations. Those planned few minutes gradually stretched into an hour, and on one occasion he found himself watching videos continuously for nearly three hours on a weekend.

Reflecting on the experience, Altman said the platform felt similar to an addictive substance because it constantly encouraged him to keep watching one more video. Although he later managed to reduce his daily usage to around five or ten minutes, he ultimately decided that deleting the application was the best solution.

The OpenAI CEO also revealed that he has taken additional steps to reduce digital distractions. He has disabled nearly all notifications on his smartphone, including alerts from messaging applications. Altman said this decision has had a positive impact on his daily life by allowing him to stay focused without constant interruptions from his phone.

During the same podcast conversation, Altman also discussed OpenAI’s future hardware ambitions. He said the company is working on ChatGPT powered hardware products that are intended to be genuinely useful in everyday life. At the same time, he acknowledged that any powerful technology can be misused, and some future applications could create challenges that are difficult to predict today.

Altman’s comments highlight a growing conversation within the technology industry about digital wellbeing and responsible product design. As artificial intelligence and recommendation algorithms become more advanced, technology leaders are increasingly discussing how to build engaging products without encouraging unhealthy usage habits.

While TikTok remains one of the world’s most popular social media platforms, Altman’s experience serves as a reminder that even technology executives can struggle to manage screen time. His decision to remove the app and minimize notifications reflects a broader effort to maintain healthier digital habits while continuing to develop the next generation of AI technologies.