Sam Altman Explained Why He Left TikTok

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated that he completely deleted the popular TikTok app from his smartphone because it demanded too much of his attention. He noted that the platform has an extremely powerful algorithmic impact and quickly hooks users. Ixbt.com reports this.

According to ixbt.com, Altman took this step not only out of curiosity but also for practical purposes. While OpenAI was developing its Sora video generation project powered by AI, he aimed to study the mechanics of the competing social network from the inside. "I deliberately got myself hooked on TikTok because I needed to study it," the company head explained.

Algorithm Trap and Personal Experience

During the experiment, Sam Altman experienced firsthand how perfected the platform's recommendation system is. At first, he believed he was in total control of the process and spent only ten minutes before sleep. However, over time, this habit expanded, consuming several hours on weekends.

Altman realized this was having a negative impact on him. According to him, using the app gave him "real pleasure like a narcotic." After attempts to limit his time failed, he decided to completely delete the app from his phone.

Closure of the Sora Project

OpenAI has also halted its activities in the social media direction. In March, the company announced it was abandoning the Sora app to focus on its core goals. Initially causing a major stir and a historic partnership with Disney, the concept was shut down after six months.

The main reason cited was that the video generation process requires massive computing resources. At the same time, key competitors like Anthropic were further accelerating the generative AI race.

Last August, OpenAI emphasized that the primary goal of services like ChatGPT is not to keep users hooked indefinitely. The company noted that success should be evaluated not by time spent on the site or the number of clicks, but by whether the user achieves the desired result.