Speaking to a room full of investors, founders, and AI enthusiasts, Altman shared a striking observation: Gen Z is forming a profound, almost symbiotic relationship with ChatGPT.
“They don’t really make life decisions without checking with it first,”
Sam Altman
For today’s teens and young adults, AI isn’t some distant technology—it’s more like a trusted friend. They turn to it when they need homework help, sure, but also when they’re figuring out what to wear, processing a breakup, or navigating a tough conversation with parents.
These digital companions remember their preferences, listen without judgment, and offer guidance when human relationships feel complicated. Many young people whisper secrets to AI that they wouldn’t share with their closest friends.
This shift changes everything—how we’ll build technology that feels genuinely supportive, how we’ll teach in classrooms where AI is another voice in the conversation, and how tomorrow’s leaders will make decisions with these invisible partners at their side.
The relationship between young people and AI isn’t just about efficiency—it’s deeply personal, emotional, and reshaping how an entire generation understands connection and trust.
AI as an Operating System for Life
While earlier generations saw computers as external machines, Gen Z sees AI — and particularly ChatGPT — as an extension of their own cognition. Altman described how many young users have gone beyond simple queries. They don’t just use AI—they’ve woven it into the fabric of their lives. Watch a college student today and you might see them flip between a lecture, their notes, and an AI chat in one seamless motion. They’ve figured out exactly how to ask for what they need, teaching these systems their preferences like you’d train a new assistant.
For them, ChatGPT isn’t some separate tool—it’s basically an extension of their own brain, humming quietly in the background of their day.
The playing field has shifted. That kid from a small town with no connections? She’s bouncing business models off the same AI that the Harvard grad is using. The first-generation college student can workshop his personal statement with a writing partner that never sleeps. The anxious teenager can rehearse a difficult conversation before having it in real life.
This isn’t just about typing papers faster. This is about having a thought partner available 24/7—one that remembers everything you’ve ever shared and never judges you for asking “stupid” questions.
And they’re all doing it. Every single day.
The Data Doesn’t Lie
OpenAI’s internal metrics show that U.S. college students are among the most engaged ChatGPT users. Meanwhile, a 2024 Pew Research Center study found that 26% of teens aged 13 to 17 regularly use AI tools like ChatGPT for schoolwork — a figure that has doubled in just one year. That’s a staggering rate of adoption and a clear signal that this is not a passing trend.
A Cultural Shift with Business Implications
For startup founders, business leaders, and investors, this isn’t just a quirky generational habit — it’s a market shift. AI tools like ChatGPT are becoming platforms around which entire lifestyles are being built. There’s potential here for innovation: products that better support AI-human collaboration, startups that build Gen Z-centric productivity ecosystems, or educational models that leverage AI more intentionally.
At the same time, leadership will need to evolve. If younger employees are growing up consulting AI for decisions, what does that mean for mentorship, critical thinking, or creative risk-taking in the workplace? How do we train future leaders who are deeply AI-literate but must also develop emotional intelligence and ethical judgment?
The Ethical Tightrope
Of course, this deep integration isn’t without its critics. California lawmakers have voiced concerns about the dependency forming between youth and AI. Mental health experts caution against the risk of emotional overattachment to digital assistants, which could distort social development or hinder real-world relationship-building.
It’s a nuanced debate — one that every tech founder and policy leader should be paying close attention to. The question isn’t just can we build better AI — it’s should we allow it to become a surrogate for human connection and decision-making?
