Parenting tip from OpenAI CEO: Sam Altman shares a ChatGPT trick he thinks could improve family mornings. Not everyone is convinced

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has sparked a debate online after sharing what he called a "cool use case" for ChatGPT that could change how some families spend their morning drive to school. The idea was meant to make school commutes more engaging by creating a personalised podcast for children, but it quickly divided social media, with many arguing that no AI tool should replace conversations between parents and their kids.

Altman shared the suggestion in a post on X, saying he had heard about the idea the previous night and found it interesting enough to share.

Sam Altman's ChatGPT idea for parents

In his post, Altman wrote, "Cool use case of ChatGPT work I heard last night: Connect your family calendars and explain your kids' interests. Every morning for the drive to school, have it make a podcast that talks about one kid's soccer game that afternoon, one kid's upcoming birthday, some news, etc."

The concept is simple. Parents would connect their family calendars with ChatGPT and provide details about each child's interests. Based on that information, the AI would generate a customised podcast every morning. It could mention an afternoon soccer game, remind a child about an upcoming birthday, include a few news updates and bring together other details that are relevant to the family's day.

Supporters of the idea said it showed another practical way artificial intelligence could fit into everyday life. Some felt children might enjoy hearing stories and updates that are centred around their own schedules and interests.

Social media questions the idea

The suggestion, however, also triggered a wave of criticism from users who believed the morning drive is an opportunity for parents and children to spend quality time talking instead of listening to AI-generated content.

One user wrote, "Just talk to your kids, man. Why are they always trying to outsource human interaction?"

Another commented, "Somewhere, a kid just wants to talk about their day, not listen to a podcast about it."

A third simply asked, "What if you just talked to your children?"

Others shared similar views. One user wrote, "Cool use of AI: Have robots tell your kids you love them so you don't have to experience connecting with your child." Another added, "The purpose of AI should be that we have more time to talk to our kids."


Some also raised privacy concerns. One commenter wrote, "He just wants your kids' personal info in ChatGPT."

Another critic remarked, "This is gross. Just talk to your children. They're human beings. They're full of joy and fun." One person even described the proposal as "an incredible life hack if you hate your kids."

Some users still saw value in the idea

Despite the criticism, not everyone dismissed Altman's proposal. Some users described it as a creative and practical use of AI that could make school commutes more engaging. Supporters said many children would likely enjoy listening to stories and updates centred around their own lives, while others felt the technology could help organise busy family routines.

The discussion also led some people to suggest alternative uses for AI in parenting and education, including personalised learning tools and AI-assisted homeschooling, rather than replacing conversations during family time.