Sam Altman on using AI tools as a new dad: “I can’t imagine parenting without it”

It's not an easy combination, balancing leadership at the frontiers of AI innovation and stepping into the world of first-time parenthood, but OpenAI CEO Sam Altman certainly seems to be embracing both roles with relative ease.

During his recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, one of the more personal and relatable confessions Altman revealed was that he often reaches out to AI tool ChatGPT for guidance during the early days of raising his newborn son.

For this leader in tech, the AI chatbot he co-founded has become an indispensable companion in making sense of the whirlwind of newborn parenting.

AI as a daily parenting assistant

Altman, who, with his husband Oliver Mulherin, welcomed a son this February, admitted that the early months of parenting have been one hectic learning curve, in which ChatGPT has been his steadfast guide.

“I cannot imagine having gone through figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT,” he said to Fallon, adding with humour that the previous generations did—but modern tools are different.Instead of mindlessly browsing parenting websites or flipping through thick manuals, Altman immediately turns to the chatbot for clarity. From understanding feeding schedules and nap patterns to decoding baby behaviour, the chatbot gives him quick, conversational answers that feel more like speaking to a helpful assistant than an Internet search

Reassuring voice for the anxieties of first-time parents

Altman shared a relatable moment for most new parents: finding another parent whose six-month-old was already crawling, he briefly panicked about whether his own baby was behind the curve. Stepping aside, he typed a simple question into: “Do I need to take my kid to the doctor tomorrow morning? Is this okay?”The chatbot replied with what Altman described as a "great answer," reassuring him that developmental timelines vary widely.

That very immediate sort of relief, he explained, is exactly why the real-time guidance provided by AI can be such a valuable resource, particularly for new parents who find themselves constantly second-guessing whether they're doing things right.

Personalised tone that feels surprisingly human

More than the information, Altman values the emotional intelligence stitched into the responses. He remembered the times the AI instructed him not to place high-achievement expectations on his child, when such an observation seemed remarkably perceptive to him. “It is personalized, as in it gets to know you,” he says, and he noted that the tone often feels softer and more sensitive to him than most parenting resources.

For Sam Altman, it has grown to be much more than a technological feat. It has become a trusted companion through the unpredictable, heartwarming, and often confusing adventure that is raising a newborn.