Written by: Techub News Compilation
Recently, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman participated in an in-depth interview with CNN. In a 23-minute conversation, he elaborated on his investments and thoughts in the fields of healthcare and longevity technology, making a bold prediction: by 2035, artificial intelligence will be able to treat or control most diseases. As the leader of one of the world's most scrutinized AI companies, how does Altman view the intersection of AI and biotechnology? Why does he invest in “partial reprogramming” technology? How will AI change the way each of us manages our health?
Longevity Investment: From “Aging as the Root of All Diseases” to Betting on Retro
When asked why he became interested in longevity technology, Sam Altman provided a core observation: most diseases are essentially age-related diseases. He pointed out that young people at the age of 20 rarely fall ill, while elderly individuals at 80 face various health problems. Therefore, if a universal method to intervene in aging, the “master switch,” can be found, it could potentially improve human health outcomes overall.
Altman stated that his interest in the longevity field has existed for a long time, but what truly prompted him to take action was the emergence of “partial reprogramming” technology. This technology aims to make cells “turn back time”—not returning them to stem cells (which would render a person a puddle of “protoplasm”), but making the cell state somewhat younger. He described it as a “crazy and exciting discovery,” ultimately prompting him to invest heavily in a company called Retro Biosciences.
He explained his choice of Retro: at the time, partial reprogramming was one of the few methods in the lab with extremely bright prospects, which he believed could truly be effective at the individual level. Additionally, he has grown increasingly skeptical about academia's ability to translate discoveries into practical applications. “Academia is still very good at early discoveries,” Altman said, “but if we really want to turn this idea into something that can truly help people, perhaps startups are a good idea.”
He clarified that the motivation for investing in longevity technology does not stem from the common Silicon Valley narrative of “immortality” or narcissism. “I absolutely do not want to be very ill for a long time,” he emphasized. He described Retro's goal as increasing ten years of “healthspan”, rather than simply extending lifespan. “Maybe it won’t let you live longer, but it will give you a longer time to be healthier.”
AI as a Medical Accelerator and Personal Health Advisor
The interview naturally turned to AI's role in healthcare. Altman revealed that healthcare has already become one of the largest application scenarios for ChatGPT. For GPT-5, the OpenAI team has dedicated significant resources to enhance its performance on health-related inquiries.
He envisioned a scene in the next decade: many doctors and healthcare workers hope that by then, everyone will be able to receive better service than anyone can get today. He imagines that people could start with an AI health advisor service, entering their sleep data, dietary records, blood test results, and symptoms, and AI could provide early warnings: “Hey, you have this risk, you need to get this check, you need to change this habit, or you need to see this specialist.”
Altman even shared his personal experience: he once used ChatGPT to identify an unknown object on his hand. After uploading a photo, the AI accurately determined it was a mark left after going through thorns, which impressed him. He believes that AI holds great potential in empowering individuals to manage health and seek better medical outcomes.
Regarding AI's role in biomedical research, he appeared more optimistic. He mentioned that research projects like Retro have already progressed years in their research due to AI. He predicts that by 2035, AI will be able to treat or control most diseases. The logic behind this is that humans are not smart enough, and biology is extremely complex. We may understand very complex explanations, but discovering this knowledge requires immense brain power, which may exceed human capabilities. A superintelligence that is a thousand times or a million times smarter than us may be able to truly figure out how everything works and then explain it to us. “I believe we can understand it, even if it initially seems too complex for us,” Altman said.
Concerns: Mental Health, Ethics, and the “Human Element”
While imagining the future, Altman also expressed concerns about the potential risks of AI, mental health is an issue he is increasingly attentive to. He pointed out that as tools like ChatGPT evolve from novelties into roles like “life coaches” or quasi-therapists, societal-scale behavior changes could affect societal-scale mental health. “We are working very hard to manage and understand what is happening, but this is indeed something I worry about.”
Another core topic is the irreplaceable position of the “human element” in healthcare. Altman admitted that even when people know that human doctors may not perform as well as AI doctors, they will still significantly prefer human doctors. “I certainly would (choose a human doctor). I want my doctor to use all these tools, and I want to use these tools myself. But when I encounter serious health problems, I really wouldn’t be willing to entrust my fate to AI. I care very much about that human doctor and their humanity.”
He distinguished between two different applications: one is providing consumers with health information and self-management tools, which is already happening; the other is using AI for better longevity research. Both rely on AI intelligence, but the paths are entirely different.
Altman also mentioned a chaotic phenomenon in the longevity field: due to consumer desire for immediate results, this area has attracted a large number of “quacks.” People always want a “magic pill” instead of following basic advice related to sleep, exercise, and healthy eating. He shared a dangerous personal experience: while trying a new drug (GLP-1), he suffered severe overdosing due to a pharmacy error, experiencing extremely painful side effects, which has kept him vigilant towards unverified therapies.
Inclusivity, Capital, and the Future of AGI
When asked whether he is concerned that longevity or AI technology will exacerbate inequality, allowing the rich to monopolize the benefits, Altman acknowledged that this is more of his concern regarding AI. He believes that OpenAI is currently doing well in broadly distributing AI benefits, but one can imagine a world where a capital-rich individual invests all resources into an “AI brain” to gain an enormous advantage. “This absolutely needs to be corrected.”
Regarding longevity, he is relatively optimistic. He believes that aging is a problem faced by everyone, hence the market is enormous. Any discovery that can add ten years to healthy lifespan will benefit from the economies of scale of capitalism, thus becoming inexpensive.
Regarding OpenAI's internal investment in health research, Altman revealed that the team responsible for ChatGPT health applications is “not small and is growing rapidly,” along with a dedicated scientific research team.
The interview finally touched on the grand question of AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) and its future with humanity. Altman tends to view AGI as a powerful tool rather than a conscious "being" as depicted in science fiction films. He gave an example: even if the future OpenAI CEO is an AI, someone will still need to set its initial goals (“write prompts”). Although this goal may be extremely complex, long-term, and encompass countless sub-tasks, it ultimately stems from human intent.
He believes that AI may help us conceptualize a better “win-win” ethical framework. “Clearly, we haven’t been able to come up with these new ideas ourselves,” Altman said. When asked, “What should the prompts for healthcare be?” he provided a more universal answer: “The version of the prompts that most people want is: ‘Help me thrive and align with my goals’—whether morally or physically, over a long timeframe.”
As for those more science fiction-like ideas, such as uploading brains to machines or merging with AI, Altman expresses skepticism, focusing more on the negative impacts. “I don't want to be tortured in a simulation forever.” He prefers his existing body and the world. Regarding the end of life, he hopes to “leave quickly and painlessly,” for example, dying in his sleep from a stroke or heart attack in old age. Despite investing in longevity, he feels satisfied at just having turned 40 and cherishes the value of health. “I really want to stay healthy; I value that a lot.”
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