AI has become an important part of everyday life for many people today. However, for young people, ChatGPT has not only become a help but a “life coach.” This is explained by Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT.
According to Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, different generations use the AI bot ChatGPT in different ways. Younger individuals tend to use it more as an advisor, while older generations use it as a substitute for a search tool like Google. Altman stated this at the “AI Ascent” event by Sequoia Capital in early May 2025.
Young People Rely on ChatGPT as a Decision-Making Tool
This is what Sam Altman says: In a conversation, Altman explained that different generations use AI differently in their daily lives. He mentioned that young people primarily use AI as “life assistance”: Important decisions are no longer made without consulting artificial intelligence, but only after discussion with the AI (via Fortune.com):
A rough simplification, but older people use ChatGPT as a Google substitute. People in their 20s and 30s use it as life advisors, and students use it as an operating system.
(…)
I mean, these things are all cool and impressive. And then there’s this other thing that they don’t really make life decisions without asking ChatGPT what they should do.
(…)
The difference between how a 20-year-old uses ChatGPT and older generations is incredible.
It reminds me of the time when smartphones came out, and every kid could use them really well. And older people took three years to figure out how to do basic things.
Generation Z is considered the generation that was born with a smartphone in hand. So it is not surprising that they find it easiest to use AI.
The new adults were born into a digitalized environment and have adopted new ways of purchasing products and services.
However, while online shopping is not a problem, for many young people, entering a traditional store is a real nightmare. While many young adults aged 20 to 25 are starting to deal with tasks like paying taxes, refueling, or managing a household, going into a store has become a challenging task: Gen Z explains that their new boss is lurking at the cheese counter and in the supermarket
