Those building the future of artificial intelligence may not always agree, but when it comes to very human questions, their answers are consistent. “Yes, you should still have children.”
In a new documentary called “The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist,” directors Daniel Lauer and Charlie Tyrell ask some of the AI race’s most prominent CEOs if it’s still safe to bring children into the world.
“I think it’s a great time to have kids, and maybe someday we’ll have another one,” Daniela Amodei, president and co-founder of Anthropic, tells filmmakers. Amodei has one son, Galileo, and has worked there for more than five years, according to a Stripe blog post.
As major technology companies pour billions of dollars into building increasingly powerful systems that could one day surpass human intelligence, questions are pervasive about the risks they pose, especially to future generations.
Researchers leading the development of AI are warning of existential risks, including the possibility that advanced systems, if left unchecked, may pursue goals that diverge from human interests. The impact of technology on work is also a major concern for many parents.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s answer is also yes.
He said becoming a parent is “this big thing” that can be exciting and overwhelming. “I wake up every night and read books about how to raise children. I hope I do a good job,” he says in the film. He also said he is not worried about children growing up in a world with AI.
At the same time, Altman speaks frankly about what that world would be like. Just from a “raw IQ standpoint,” he said, “our children will never be smarter than AI.”
Altman gave birth to her son in February 2025 and announced in a post on X at the time, “He came early and will be in the NICU for a while.” She added: “He’s doing well. I’m so happy to be able to take care of him in our little bubble. I’ve never felt more love.”
Some struck a more philosophical tone with the film.
DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis emphasized the enduring value of human life itself. “I think having children is a great idea. I think children are the most magical, wonderful thing,” he said. Hassabis has two sons in their late teens, the Guardian reported last year.
Meanwhile, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said there was good reason to doubt that he would have children.
“There’s so much uncertainty. I would just do exactly what you’re going to do anyway,” he says in the film. “I know that’s not a very satisfying answer, but it’s the only answer I can come up with.”
Taken together, their answers reflect the same tensions that run through the broader AI debate. The future may be uncertain and machine-driven in ways we don’t yet fully understand, but for now the people who will shape that future are not putting their lives on hold.