Fidji Simo on AI and Opportunities to Empower People Through AI
Fidji Simo, who will soon join OpenAI as CEO of Applications, shares her perspective on how artificial intelligence (AI) can change the world. In a post on OpenAI’s website, she describes how AI will help put OpenAI’s technology into the hands of ordinary people around the world. As a pragmatic technologist, she sees AI as a tool that will unlock opportunities for everyone, and she believes that if we get it right, AI will give everyone more power than ever before.
Fidji emphasizes that opportunities will not emerge on their own. Every major technological shift can broaden access to power—the power to make better decisions, shape the world around us, and control our own destiny. But it can also concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a few, usually those who already have money, skills, and connections. That is why it is important to be intentional about how we build and share these technologies so that they lead to greater opportunity and prosperity for more people.
According to Fidji, we should start by ensuring broad access to the keys to empowerment and opportunity—such as knowledge, health, creative expression, economic freedom, time, and support. If we make intelligence available everywhere, affordable for everyone, and easy to understand, we will create the greatest engine of opportunity the world has ever seen and help more people live better lives.
Knowledge for Everyone
Empowerment begins with understanding the world around us and our place in it. With the right knowledge at the right time, we can make better decisions, advocate for ourselves, and change our path. Historically, access to expert knowledge has been limited to those with greater resources, but AI is changing that and truly democratizing knowledge.
AI can compress thousands of hours of learning into personalized insights expressed in simple language and tailored to our level of understanding. It does not merely answer questions; it teaches us to ask better ones. It helps build confidence in areas that previously seemed unclear or intimidating. People who use AI tutors learn twice as much as those with human tutors, and the gains are even greater compared with a traditional classroom. In 2024, an OpenAI study showed that 90% of users said ChatGPT helped them “better understand complex ideas.” With a personalized AI tutor on every subject for everyone, the gap between those who have the resources to learn and those who have historically been overlooked will close.
Health in People’s Hands
Fidji is personally most excited about the breakthroughs AI will bring to healthcare. A few years ago, she faced a complex chronic illness and saw how fragmented and inaccessible the healthcare system was. Even with access to the best doctors, she had to piece together insights from specialists who did not communicate with one another.
Nearly nine out of ten adults in the U.S. struggle to understand and use health information, leading to worse outcomes and more than $200 billion in unnecessary costs each year. Patients often feel powerless and dependent on others. Fidji addressed this by hiring a Stanford tutor to teach her biology and genetics and by founding a research institute for chronic illnesses. Most people do not have the resources to do that—but with AI, they will not need them.
AI will explain test results, decode medical jargon, offer a second opinion, and help patients understand their options in simple language. It will not replace doctors, but it will help patients understand their care. In addition, it will help with everyday habits such as sleep, diet, exercise, stress management, and connection through personalized, real-time reminders. This is one of the most profound uses of AI in healthcare—as a constant companion that bridges knowledge gaps and empowers people to care for themselves.
Creative Expression Without Limits
Fidji believes that we are all creators from birth, but our ability to express creativity is often limited by our skills. Not everyone has the resources, time, or training to paint, write, compose, or build.
She imagines the future in pictures and paints in her spare time, but the images in her mind are more realistic than what she can paint. AI shortens the distance between imagination and realization—with image generation, she can prompt and refine until it feels right. Today, nearly one-third of Gen Z users say that AI tools have helped them express themselves in ways they could not before.
That does not take away the magic of painting—Fidji still paints, and AI helps her bring her visions to the canvas. If AI gives everyone the tools to transform ideas into images, stories, or songs, it will make the world a richer place.
Economic Freedom for Everyone
People gain power over their economic destiny when they can independently create and capture value. But starting a company is not easy—the average cost of starting a small business in the U.S. is around $30,000, which is out of reach for most people. In the past, it also required technical skills such as coding.
AI gives people the power to turn ideas into income, regardless of their age, qualifications, or location. One person can now brainstorm, prototype, market, and launch a product without coding. A 2024 Shopify report showed that solopreneurs using AI launched businesses 70% faster. Fidji saw this with her nine-year-old daughter, who wanted to plan children’s birthday parties—over a weekend, she used AI tools to create a functional website, shared it, and began taking on clients (her parents had to step in before she ordered the confetti cannons).
In the future, people will build new things without waiting for permission, capital, or qualifications. This will transform the labor market—companies will hire fewer people, but new jobs will emerge. That is why employee training is crucial. AI will also serve as a financial guide—only one-third of adults in the U.S. correctly answer basic financial questions, but AI will provide personalized advice about saving, budgeting, investing, and debt.
Putting Time Back in Your Hands
Having control over your time is liberating. Wealthy people buy time with assistants, staff, and tutors. The average U.S. household spends nearly 20 hours a week on household chores and errands.
While leading Instacart, Fidji saw how technology changes the way people perceive time—in 2012, grocery delivery was a luxury, but it became commonplace for millions of families, giving them hours back for more important things. AI will bring about a similar shift—with AI agents (such as the ChatGPT agent), people will be able to handle research, vacation planning, or scheduling. This will help them regain control over their time and attention.
Support Within Reach
The greatest barriers are not a lack of access, but self-doubt, isolation, and burnout. Support—someone who helps us reflect and move forward—is essential. Fidji values her business coach, Katia, and jokes that everyone needs a “Katia in their pocket.” Now, with ChatGPT, more people can have that.
People use ChatGPT for support with difficult conversations, career setbacks, grief, or spiraling thoughts. AI will not replace human connection, but it will fill a gap—many people do not have a therapist or coach. An AI coach is available all day, understands every aspect of life, and helps uncover subconscious patterns. At the heart of philosophy and religion is self-knowledge—if AI helps people understand themselves, it will be one of its greatest gifts.
