Skip to main content
Sam Heiner

Sam Heiner

Sam Hiner is co-founder and executive director of the Young People's Alliance, a youth-led advocacy organization fighting for AI and social media safety; a UNC-Chapel Hill graduate and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree.

Sep 28, 2026

6:47
So what my question for you is, Sam, is what do you think is contributing to this deeply concerning trend amongst young people? I mean, would you say, Sam, it's a technology problem? Is it, for example, human-like large language models? Or is it a business model problem? Over to you, Sam.
7:18
That's a great question.
7:19
And it's really a combination of both.
7:21
We've seen tech companies trying to iron out how to design models that are aligned with what users want and aligned with what humanity cares about, while at the same time not being sycophantic or constantly agreeing with the user, which can be a very enjoyable experience for the user, but can lead them down a path that can encourage delusions, like you said, or can develop really a severe form of dependence on the AI.
7:46
However, at the same time, You do have folks on the market who recognize that there's a whole market of lonely people out there who struggle to build relationships with other people.
7:55
And that rather than helping them build relationships with other people, they can make more money by designing AI companions that keep them online for as long as possible and further that isolation that they're experiencing.
8:09
through an attention-based business model, just like how we see with social media.

11 MINS LATER

19:16
What's on your wish list, Sam?

We value your privacy

We use cookies to understand how you use our platform and to improve your experience. Click “Accept All” to consent, or “Decline non-essential” to opt out of non-essential cookies. Read our Privacy Policy.