‘For some kids, yes’: Sam Altman weighs in on whether AI is making children 'dumber'

Sam Altman said while AI empowers many students, over-dependence can harm learning.

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, who was in India for the AI Impact Summit 2026, has acknowledged that artificial intelligence could, in some cases, have a negative impact on children’s learning habits. He cautioned that over-dependence on tools like ChatGPT may discourage some students from developing core skills such as critical thinking and analysis.

What did Sam Altman say

Speaking to The Indian Express, Altman was asked directly whether AI is making kids “dumber.” He said, “This is true for some children, particularly those who rely entirely on AI to get through schoolwork without engaging their own thinking.”

Altman said he has spoken to students who openly admit to using AI to bypass homework and assignments. According to him, some children see this as a shortcut through school and assume they can continue leaning on AI throughout their professional lives. “That’s very bad,” he said, stressing that such an approach leaves young people unprepared for long-term growth and real-world challenges.

At the same time, Altman pushed back against the idea that AI is broadly harmful to learning. He said most students he meets talk about AI as an empowering tool that allows them to build new projects, explore ideas faster and create workflows that were previously impossible. In his view, these students use AI much like earlier generations used search engines, to assist learning but not replace thinking.

Altman argued, “Responsibility now lies with the education system. Schools will need new ways to teach and evaluate students so that every child learns how to think, create and problem-solve while using AI responsibly. I am confident that the technology’s long-term potential to expand human capability far outweighs its risks.”

Drawing parallel with the early days of Google, Altman recalled how educators once feared that easy access to information would make learning pointless. Over time, he said, schools adjusted, expectations rose, and students were pushed to think at a higher level. He believes AI will follow a similar trajectory.

Looking ahead, Altman said children growing up with AI today are likely to achieve things current generations cannot. If guided properly, he added, AI can help future students learn more, do more and think more creatively than ever before.