By Gabriel García May 12, 2023
Sam Altman is the executive director of OpenAI, the organization that created ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence chatbot that has gone viral for its witty and funny responses. But Altman not only wants to change the way we communicate with machines, but also the way we treat our mental health and our addictions with psychedelic drugs.
Altman is the president of a startup called Journey Colab, which aims to harness the potential that psychedelic drugs have shown in clinical trials and make them accessible to people suffering from mental health and substance use disorders. The company has partnered with an upscale rehabilitation clinic, All Points North, to conduct late-stage trials and design a model for administering drugs such as MDMA and psilocybin to patients.
Altman believes that psychedelics may offer a more effective and longer-lasting alternative to conventional treatments for problems such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and alcohol or tobacco dependence. According to him, these substances can help people access altered states of consciousness that facilitate introspection, emotional connection and resolution of inner conflicts.
Photo taken from computerhoy.com article.
But Altman is not alone in seeing the potential of psychedelics. In recent years, there has been a boom in scientific research and public interest in these drugs, which have been banned for decades because of their association with the counterculture movement and the risks of abuse and adverse effects. However, recent studies have shown that, under controlled and supervised conditions, psychedelics can have significant therapeutic benefits and few side effects.
Altman hopes his company can help change the social and legal perception of psychedelics and create a regulated industry that ensures the quality and safety of these substances. He also wants to democratize access to these experiences, which are currently very expensive and limited. To do this, he plans to use OpenAI technology to create digital platforms that can guide and monitor users during their psychedelic journeys.
Altman is one of the most influential and innovative leaders in the technology world. In addition to leading OpenAI, he is chairman of the board of Helion and Oklo, two nuclear energy companies, and co-founder of Y Combinator, a startup accelerator. He is also known for his social and political activism, championing causes such as universal basic income, diversity and inclusion.
Psychedelic drugs can be a powerful tool for therapeutic purposes. You can discover more about these potential therapeutic effects in Essential Guide to the Psychedelic Renaissance by Antón Gómez-Escolar, we recommend Psychedelics and Mental Health, by Irene de Caso and Your Brain on Psychedelics, by Genís Oña, where you will learn the keys to the effects of psychedelics, capable of producing significant changes in the processes of perception, thought and consciousness. The book also includes a prologue written by one of the greatest eminences in this field, José Carlos Bouso, scientific director of ICEERS.
These books are now available on Amazon in physical and eBook format, as well as Apple Books. In addition, all titles are available in Spanish version on GuiasdelPsiconauta.com
This article summarizes the report published by The Washington Post on April 22, 2023.
Take a look at our social networks to keep updated:
