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| name        = Sam Altman
| name        = Sam Altman
| birth_name  = Samuel Harris Altman
| birth_name  = Samuel Harris Altman
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1985|04|22}}
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1985|4|22}}
| birth_place  = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| birth_place  = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| nationality  = American
| nationality  = American
| education    = [[Stanford University]] (dropped out)
| education    = [[Stanford University]] (dropped out)
| occupation  = {{flatlist|
| occupation  = {{flatlist|
* Business executive
* Technology executive
* Entrepreneur
* Entrepreneur
* Investor
* Investor
}}
}}
| known_for    = CEO of [[OpenAI]], President of [[Y Combinator]], Co-founder of [[Loopt]]
| known_for    = CEO of [[OpenAI]], President of [[Y Combinator]], Co-founder of [[Loopt]]
| title        = CEO of OpenAI
| children    = 1
| children    = 1
| website      = {{URL|blog.samaltman.com}}
| website      = {{URL|blog.samaltman.com}}
| awards      = ''Time'' "Architects of AI" (Person of the Year, 2025)
}}
}}


'''Samuel Harris Altman''' (born April 22, 1985) is an American businessman, entrepreneur, and investor who has served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of [[OpenAI]], the artificial intelligence research organization, since 2019. He first gained attention in the technology industry as the co-founder of [[Loopt]], a geosocial networking mobile application, and later as president of [[Y Combinator]], one of Silicon Valley's most prominent startup accelerators. Under Altman's leadership, OpenAI launched [[ChatGPT]] in late 2022, a product that became one of the fastest-growing consumer applications in history and a catalyst for a broader wave of commercial interest in artificial intelligence.<ref>{{cite news |last=Metz |first=Cade |date=2023-03-31 |title=The Man Behind ChatGPT |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/31/technology/sam-altman-open-ai-chatgpt.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In November 2023, Altman was briefly ousted as CEO by OpenAI's board of directors, only to be reinstated five days later following an outcry from employees and investors. Beyond his work at OpenAI, Altman has made substantial investments in areas including nuclear fusion energy and semiconductor manufacturing, and has served as chairman of both [[Helion Energy]] and [[Oklo]], two clean energy companies. In 2025, he was recognized among the "Architects of AI" as part of ''Time'' magazine's Person of the Year designation.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2026-02-20 |title=Sam Altman's Fusion Power Bet Just Got Hotter Than The Sun |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/the-prototype/2026/02/20/sam-altmans-fusion-power-bet-just-got-hotter-than-the-sun/ |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
'''Samuel Harris Altman''' (born April 22, 1985) is an American technology executive, entrepreneur, and investor who has served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of [[OpenAI]], the artificial intelligence research organization, since 2019. Under his leadership, OpenAI launched [[ChatGPT]] in November 2022, a product that brought large language models into mainstream public awareness and catalyzed a global wave of investment and development in artificial intelligence. Before leading OpenAI, Altman built his reputation in [[Silicon Valley]] first as a startup founder—co-founding the mobile geolocation company [[Loopt]] while still a teenager—and then as a prominent investor and accelerator leader, serving as president of [[Y Combinator]] from 2014 to 2019.<ref name="newyorker">{{cite news |last=Friend |first=Tad |date=2016-10-10 |title=Sam Altman's Manifest Destiny |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny |work=The New Yorker |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In November 2023, Altman was briefly ousted as CEO of OpenAI by the organization's board of directors, an event that drew intense public and media scrutiny before he was reinstated five days later amid pressure from employees and investors.<ref name="wapo">{{cite news |last=De Vynck |first=Gerrit |date=2023-04-09 |title=Sam Altman, OpenAI and ChatGPT |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/09/sam-altman-openai-chatgpt/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Beyond artificial intelligence, Altman has pursued investments in clean energy, serving as chairman of the fusion energy company [[Helion Energy]] and the nuclear technology company [[Oklo]], positions from which he stepped down in April 2025. In 2025, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Altman among the "Architects of AI" as part of its Person of the Year designation.


== Early Life ==
== Early Life ==


Samuel Harris Altman was born on April 22, 1985, in Chicago, Illinois.<ref>{{cite news |last=Friend |first=Tad |date=2016-10-10 |title=Sam Altman's Manifest Destiny |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny |work=The New Yorker |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was raised in a Jewish family. Altman showed an early interest in computers and technology; he received his first computer, a Macintosh, at the age of eight, and taught himself to code and disassemble computer hardware during his childhood.<ref>{{cite news |last=Friend |first=Tad |date=2016-10-10 |title=Sam Altman's Manifest Destiny |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny |work=The New Yorker |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Samuel Harris Altman was born on April 22, 1985, in Chicago, Illinois.<ref name="newyorker" /> He grew up in [[St. Louis, Missouri]], where he was raised in a Jewish family.<ref name="nyt-profile">{{cite news |last=Metz |first=Cade |date=2023-03-31 |title=Sam Altman, OpenAI and ChatGPT |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/31/technology/sam-altman-open-ai-chatgpt.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Altman developed an early interest in computers and technology. He received his first computer, a [[Macintosh]], at the age of eight, an event he has cited as formative in sparking his interest in programming and technology.<ref name="newyorker" />


Altman attended John Burroughs School, a private preparatory school in St. Louis. As a teenager, he became interested in both programming and entrepreneurship. He came out as gay during high school and has spoken publicly about the experience in subsequent years.<ref>{{cite news |last=Friend |first=Tad |date=2016-10-10 |title=Sam Altman's Manifest Destiny |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny |work=The New Yorker |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Altman attended [[John Burroughs School]], a private preparatory school in the St. Louis area. He came out as gay during high school, a fact he has discussed publicly in subsequent years.<ref name="newyorker" /> His early exposure to both technology and entrepreneurship helped shape a trajectory that would lead him to Silicon Valley shortly after graduating from high school.


His upbringing in the Midwest and exposure to technology from a young age shaped what would become a persistent interest in the intersection of software, start-up culture, and large-scale societal challenges. By the time Altman reached college age, he was already oriented toward Silicon Valley and the start-up ecosystem that would define much of his career.
A 2016 profile in ''The New Yorker'' described Altman as possessing an early confidence in his abilities and a conviction that technology could be used to address large-scale problems.<ref name="newyorker" /> His upbringing in the Midwest, far from the established technology hubs of California, did not deter him from pursuing a career in the industry; by his late teens, he was already planning his entry into the startup world.


== Education ==
== Education ==


Altman enrolled at [[Stanford University]] in Stanford, California, where he studied computer science. He attended for approximately two years before leaving to pursue entrepreneurial ventures full-time.<ref>{{cite news |last=Helman |first=Chris |date=2014 |title=Sam Altman Interview |url=https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/interviews/a30763/sam-altman-interview-2014/ |work=Esquire |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> While at Stanford, Altman began working on the idea that would become Loopt, his first major start-up. His decision to drop out of Stanford placed him in a tradition of prominent Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who left elite universities to build technology companies, though Altman himself has noted the risks of this path for most students.<ref>{{cite news |last=Friend |first=Tad |date=2016-10-10 |title=Sam Altman's Manifest Destiny |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny |work=The New Yorker |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Altman enrolled at [[Stanford University]] in California, where he studied computer science.<ref name="newyorker" /> However, he did not complete his degree. After two years at Stanford, Altman dropped out to co-found Loopt, a mobile geolocation startup, in 2005.<ref name="esquire">{{cite news |title=Sam Altman Interview |url=https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/interviews/a30763/sam-altman-interview-2014/ |work=Esquire |date=2014 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The decision to leave Stanford placed Altman in a lineage of notable Silicon Valley figures—including [[Bill Gates]], [[Steve Jobs]], and [[Mark Zuckerberg]]—who left elite universities to pursue entrepreneurial ventures. Altman has spoken about the decision as a calculated risk, motivated by the opportunity he saw in the nascent smartphone application market.<ref name="newyorker" />


== Career ==
== Career ==
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=== Loopt (2005–2012) ===
=== Loopt (2005–2012) ===


In 2005, at the age of 19, Altman co-founded Loopt, a location-based social networking mobile application.<ref>{{cite web |title=Loopt – Company Executives |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216022416/http://www.loopt.com/about/company/executives/ |publisher=Loopt |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The company was part of the inaugural batch of [[Y Combinator]], the start-up accelerator founded by Paul Graham. Loopt allowed users to share their real-time location with friends and discover nearby events and businesses, a concept that was novel in the early days of the smartphone era.
In 2005, at the age of 19, Altman co-founded [[Loopt]], a smartphone-based geosocial networking application that allowed users to share their location with friends and discover nearby businesses and events.<ref name="loopt-exec">{{cite web |title=Loopt Executive Team |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216022416/http://www.loopt.com/about/company/executives/ |publisher=Loopt |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Loopt was one of the first companies funded by [[Y Combinator]], the influential Silicon Valley startup accelerator founded by [[Paul Graham (programmer)|Paul Graham]].<ref name="newyorker" /> The company was part of Y Combinator's inaugural Summer 2005 batch, a cohort that helped establish the accelerator model that would become a dominant feature of the startup ecosystem.


Under Altman's leadership as CEO, Loopt raised more than US$30 million in venture capital funding.<ref>{{cite news |last=Friend |first=Tad |date=2016-10-10 |title=Sam Altman's Manifest Destiny |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny |work=The New Yorker |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The company operated for seven years but ultimately struggled to gain a large user base in an increasingly competitive market for location-based services. In March 2012, Loopt was acquired by the prepaid debit card company [[Green Dot Corporation]] in a deal valued at approximately US$43.4 million.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2012-03-09 |title=Startup Loopt Lands With Green Dot |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313052152/http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/03/09/startup-loopt-lands-with-green-dot/ |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Although the acquisition was not considered a major financial success relative to the amount of venture funding raised, the experience gave Altman significant insight into both the start-up lifecycle and the venture capital process.
Over the course of its existence, Loopt raised more than US$30 million in venture capital funding.<ref name="newyorker" /> The company attracted investment from notable Silicon Valley venture capital firms and operated during a period when location-based mobile services were an emerging category. Loopt was available on multiple mobile platforms and partnered with several major U.S. wireless carriers to distribute its application.
 
Despite the significant capital raised, Loopt struggled to achieve the user growth necessary to compete in the increasingly crowded location-based services market, which included rivals such as [[Foursquare (website)|Foursquare]] and [[Gowalla]]. In March 2012, Loopt was acquired by the prepaid debit card company [[Green Dot Corporation]] for approximately US$43.4 million.<ref name="wsj-loopt">{{cite news |title=Startup Loopt Lands With Green Dot |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/03/09/startup-loopt-lands-with-green-dot/ |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=2012-03-09 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> While the acquisition did not represent a major financial return relative to the capital invested, the experience of founding and running Loopt gave Altman direct operational experience in the startup world and deepened his connections within Silicon Valley's investment and entrepreneurial communities.


=== Y Combinator (2011–2019) ===
=== Y Combinator (2011–2019) ===


Following Loopt's acquisition, Altman became increasingly involved with Y Combinator. In 2011, he began working with the accelerator as a part-time partner, advising early-stage start-ups and making investment decisions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Y Combinator People |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625021419/http://ycombinator.com/people.html |publisher=Y Combinator |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Altman's involvement deepened rapidly, and in 2014, at the age of 28, he was appointed president of Y Combinator, succeeding Paul Graham.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2014 |title=Sam Altman Interview |url=https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/interviews/a30763/sam-altman-interview-2014/ |work=Esquire |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2014 |title=Sam Altman Takes the Reins of Y Combinator |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222150644/http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244508 |work=Entrepreneur |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Following the sale of Loopt, Altman became increasingly involved with Y Combinator. In 2011, he began working with the accelerator as a part-time partner.<ref name="newyorker" /> His role expanded over the following years, and in 2014, Y Combinator co-founder Paul Graham selected Altman to succeed him as president of the organization.<ref name="entrepreneur">{{cite web |title=Sam Altman Named President of Y Combinator |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222150644/http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244508 |publisher=Entrepreneur |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref name="yc-people">{{cite web |title=Y Combinator People |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625021419/http://ycombinator.com/people.html |publisher=Y Combinator |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


As president, Altman oversaw a significant expansion of Y Combinator's operations. He increased the number of companies accepted into each batch and broadened the accelerator's focus to include areas such as biotech, hardware, and nonprofit ventures, in addition to its traditional emphasis on software start-ups. Altman also launched the YC Growth Fund, a later-stage investment vehicle, and the YC Continuity Fund, aimed at providing follow-on funding to the most successful Y Combinator alumni companies.
As president of Y Combinator, Altman oversaw a significant expansion of the organization's activities and influence. Under his leadership, Y Combinator increased the size of its batches—the cohorts of startups admitted to the program each cycle—and broadened its focus to include a wider range of industries and company stages. Altman helped establish the YC Continuity Fund, a growth-stage investment vehicle that allowed Y Combinator to continue backing its most successful portfolio companies as they matured beyond the accelerator's traditional early-stage focus.<ref name="newyorker" />


During his tenure, Y Combinator's portfolio grew to include hundreds of companies, and its influence in the broader start-up ecosystem expanded considerably. Altman became one of the most prominent voices in Silicon Valley during this period, publishing frequent blog posts on topics ranging from start-up strategy to nuclear energy and universal basic income.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sam Altman's Blog |url=https://blog.samaltman.com/ |publisher=Sam Altman |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
A lengthy profile published in ''The New Yorker'' in October 2016 described Altman as one of the most influential figures in Silicon Valley, detailing his role in shaping Y Combinator and his broader ambitions for technology's role in society.<ref name="newyorker" /> The article described his wide-ranging interests, including in areas such as universal basic income, nuclear energy, and the long-term risks and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence.


A 2016 profile in ''The New Yorker'' described Altman's role at Y Combinator and his broader ambitions in the technology sector, noting his interest in existential risk, life extension, and the societal implications of artificial intelligence.<ref>{{cite news |last=Friend |first=Tad |date=2016-10-10 |title=Sam Altman's Manifest Destiny |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny |work=The New Yorker |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Altman stepped down as president of Y Combinator in 2019 in order to focus full-time on OpenAI.
During his tenure at Y Combinator, Altman also became known for his personal blog, where he published essays on topics including startup strategy, management, and technology trends.<ref name="blog">{{cite web |title=Sam Altman's Blog |url=https://blog.samaltman.com/ |publisher=Sam Altman |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> His writing and public commentary helped establish him as a thought leader in the startup community and extended his influence beyond Y Combinator's direct portfolio.


=== OpenAI (2019–present) ===
A 2014 interview in ''Esquire'' magazine profiled Altman as a rising figure in technology, highlighting his rapid ascent from young entrepreneur to one of the most prominent gatekeepers in Silicon Valley's startup ecosystem.<ref name="esquire" /> The article noted his involvement in discussions around preparedness for catastrophic events, a theme that would recur in subsequent profiles.<ref name="bi-pandemic">{{cite news |title=Sam Altman on Pandemics, Apocalypse, and Life Extension |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-pandemic-apocalypse-immortality-life-extension-openai-2023-4 |work=Business Insider |date=2023-04 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


==== Founding and Early Involvement ====
Altman served as president of Y Combinator until 2019, when he departed to focus full-time on leading OpenAI.


OpenAI was founded in December 2015 as a nonprofit artificial intelligence research laboratory. Altman was among the co-founders, along with [[Elon Musk]], [[Ilya Sutskever]], Greg Brockman, and others. The organization was established with the stated mission of ensuring that artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity. In 2019, Altman formally assumed the role of CEO of OpenAI, leaving Y Combinator to devote his full attention to the company.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tiku |first=Nitasha |date=2023-04-09 |title=Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, on the Promise and Risk of AI |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/09/sam-altman-openai-chatgpt/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
=== OpenAI (2015–present) ===


Under Altman's leadership, OpenAI transitioned from a purely nonprofit entity to a "capped-profit" structure, a hybrid model designed to attract the large amounts of capital needed for cutting-edge AI research while nominally preserving the organization's mission-driven character. This transition attracted significant investment, most notably from [[Microsoft]], which committed billions of dollars to the company.
==== Founding and early involvement ====


==== Launch of ChatGPT ====
OpenAI was founded in December 2015 as a nonprofit artificial intelligence research organization. Altman was one of the co-founders, alongside [[Elon Musk]], [[Peter Thiel]], [[Reid Hoffman]], and others.<ref name="nyt-profile" /> The organization's stated mission was to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI) would benefit humanity as a whole. Altman's involvement in OpenAI from its inception reflected his long-standing interest in AI and its potential societal implications, themes he had explored during his time at Y Combinator.<ref name="newyorker" />


In November 2022, OpenAI released ChatGPT, a conversational AI system built on the company's GPT series of large language models. The product attracted over one million users within its first week of availability, making it one of the fastest-growing consumer technology products in history.<ref>{{cite news |last=Metz |first=Cade |date=2023-03-31 |title=The Man Behind ChatGPT |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/31/technology/sam-altman-open-ai-chatgpt.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The launch of ChatGPT was a catalytic event for the broader AI industry, triggering substantial increases in investment, competition, and public attention to large language models and generative AI.
In its early years, OpenAI operated as a research laboratory, publishing papers and releasing tools while recruiting top researchers in the field of machine learning and artificial intelligence. The organization attracted significant philanthropic funding and positioned itself as a counterweight to the concentration of AI capabilities within large technology corporations.


Altman became a public face of the AI boom that followed. He testified before the [[United States Senate]] in May 2023, where he advocated for the regulation of AI systems and expressed concerns about the technology's potential for misuse. He also embarked on a global tour of meetings with heads of state and policymakers, discussing AI governance and the implications of advanced AI systems.
==== Transition to CEO ====


==== Board Crisis of November 2023 ====
In 2019, Altman became CEO of OpenAI, coinciding with a significant structural change within the organization. OpenAI transitioned from a purely nonprofit entity to a "capped-profit" structure, creating a for-profit subsidiary—OpenAI LP—that could attract commercial investment while theoretically maintaining the nonprofit's oversight and mission orientation.<ref name="wapo" /> This structural shift was driven in part by the enormous computational costs associated with training state-of-the-art AI models, which required financial resources beyond what philanthropic donations alone could sustain.


On November 17, 2023, OpenAI's board of directors abruptly removed Altman from his role as CEO. In a public statement, the board cited a loss of "confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI" but did not provide specific reasons for the decision.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tiku |first=Nitasha |date=2023-04-09 |title=Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, on the Promise and Risk of AI |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/09/sam-altman-openai-chatgpt/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The move triggered an immediate and intense backlash. More than 700 of OpenAI's approximately 770 employees signed a letter threatening to resign and join Microsoft unless Altman was reinstated. Microsoft CEO [[Satya Nadella]] publicly offered Altman a position at Microsoft, though negotiations continued in parallel for his return to OpenAI.
Under the capped-profit model, investors in OpenAI LP could receive returns up to a specified cap, after which additional profits would revert to the nonprofit parent. The arrangement attracted a major investment from [[Microsoft]], which committed US$1 billion to OpenAI in 2019 and subsequently made additional multi-billion-dollar investments, establishing a deep commercial and technical partnership between the two organizations.<ref name="nyt-profile" />


Five days after his removal, on November 22, 2023, Altman was reinstated as CEO. As part of the resolution, OpenAI's board was reconstituted, with several of the directors who had voted for Altman's ouster departing. The episode drew widespread media attention and raised questions about AI governance, the balance of power between nonprofit boards and commercial interests, and the concentration of influence within AI organizations.
==== Launch of ChatGPT and the AI boom ====


==== Continued Leadership and AI Expansion ====
The release of ChatGPT on November 30, 2022, marked a turning point for both OpenAI and the broader artificial intelligence industry. ChatGPT, based on OpenAI's GPT-3.5 large language model, was a conversational AI system that demonstrated a capacity for generating human-like text across a wide range of tasks, from answering questions and writing code to composing essays and creative fiction. The product attracted an estimated 100 million users within two months of its launch, making it one of the fastest-growing consumer technology products in history.<ref name="wapo" /><ref name="nyt-profile" />


Following his reinstatement, Altman continued to lead OpenAI through a period of rapid growth and product development. The company released successive versions of its GPT models and expanded its product offerings to include image generation, voice interaction, and AI agent capabilities. In early 2026, OpenAI launched OpenClaw, a virtual AI agent system that attracted significant attention on Wall Street and raised questions about security and market stability.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2026-02-23 |title=OpenClaw Might Be a Security Nightmare for Sam Altman |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-02-23/openclaw-may-be-a-security-nightmare-for-openai-s-sam-altman |work=Bloomberg |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
The success of ChatGPT propelled Altman into a level of public prominence unusual for a technology executive outside of the consumer electronics or social media sectors. He became a frequent interlocutor for policymakers, journalists, and industry leaders seeking to understand the implications of rapidly advancing AI capabilities. His public statements during this period combined enthusiasm for AI's potential benefits with acknowledgments of its risks, including to labor markets, information integrity, and societal stability.<ref name="nyt-profile" />


Altman has continued to be an outspoken public figure on issues related to AI. In February 2026, speaking at the Express Adda event in New Delhi, Altman discussed the race toward artificial general intelligence, his rivalry with Elon Musk, the impact of AI on employment, and competition for talent in Silicon Valley.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2026-02-21 |title=Sam Altman at Express Adda Highlights: OpenAI CEO on AGI race, Musk rivalry, job losses, and Silicon Valley talent wars |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/sam-altman-at-express-adda-live-updates-open-ai-ceo-interview-anant-goenka-10542468/ |work=The Indian Express |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Around the same time, he told students at [[IIT Delhi]] that AI would "automate the whole economy" and urged students to stay current with AI tools.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2026-02-23 |title=Sam Altman says AI will 'automate the whole economy', shares message for students at IIT Delhi |url=https://www.livemint.com/technology/tech-news/sam-altman-says-ai-will-automate-the-whole-economy-shares-message-for-students-at-iit-delhi-11771849044415.html |work=Mint |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
The release of ChatGPT also triggered a wave of investment and competition across the technology industry, with major companies including [[Google]], [[Meta Platforms|Meta]], and [[Amazon]] accelerating their own AI development programs. This period has been described as the "AI boom," and Altman has been identified as one of its central figures.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-21 |title=People Loved the Dot-Com Boom. The A.I. Boom, Not So Much. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/21/technology/ai-boom-backlash.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Altman has also commented on a trend he describes as "AI-washing" of layoffs, in which companies attribute job cuts to artificial intelligence adoption when the underlying reasons may be different. In a February 2026 interview, he expressed skepticism that AI was the primary driver of all reported technology-sector layoffs.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2026-02-22 |title=Sam Altman thinks tech companies are 'AI-washing' their layoffs |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/tech/article/layoffs-sam-altman-ai-washing-21647451.php |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2026-02-21 |title='Lay-offs': AI founder says quiet part out loud |url=https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/trends/ai-washing-openai-ceo-sam-altman-appears-to-confirm-sneaky-job-loss-trend/news-story/f4da1e473ecc7da7ab4a2b47fcae1227 |work=News.com.au |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
==== Board crisis and reinstatement (November 2023) ====


Altman has compared the energy demands of AI training to the resource requirements of human development, noting that "training a human takes 20 years of food" in defense of the energy consumption associated with large-scale AI model training.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2026-02-21 |title='Training A Human Takes 20 Years Of Food': Sam Altman On How Much Power AI Consumes |url=https://www.news18.com/world/training-a-human-takes-20-years-of-food-sam-altman-on-how-much-power-ai-consumes-ws-kl-9922309.html |work=News18 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
On November 17, 2023, OpenAI's board of directors abruptly removed Altman from his position as CEO. In a public statement, the board cited a loss of "confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI" but did not initially provide specific details about the reasons for the decision.<ref name="wapo" /> The announcement came as a surprise to much of OpenAI's staff, its investors, and the broader technology industry.


=== Investments and Other Ventures ===
The removal triggered an immediate and intense backlash. A large majority of OpenAI's employees signed an open letter threatening to resign if Altman was not reinstated and if the board members who had voted for his removal did not step down. Microsoft, as OpenAI's largest investor and commercial partner, publicly expressed support for Altman. Reports at the time indicated that Microsoft CEO [[Satya Nadella]] offered Altman a position leading a new advanced AI research team at Microsoft, though Altman ultimately did not take that role.<ref name="nyt-profile" />


Outside of OpenAI, Altman has been an active investor and board member in the energy sector. He has served as chairman of [[Helion Energy]], a nuclear fusion start-up working to develop commercial fusion power, and [[Oklo]], a company focused on compact nuclear fission reactors. In April 2025, Altman stepped down from his board positions at both companies.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2026-02-20 |title=Sam Altman's Fusion Power Bet Just Got Hotter Than The Sun |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/the-prototype/2026/02/20/sam-altmans-fusion-power-bet-just-got-hotter-than-the-sun/ |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
After five days of intense negotiations, Altman was reinstated as CEO of OpenAI on November 22, 2023. As part of the resolution, the board of directors was restructured, with several of the members who had voted for Altman's removal departing and new members being appointed. The episode drew widespread attention and commentary about the governance challenges inherent in OpenAI's unusual nonprofit-over-for-profit structure, the concentration of power in AI organizations, and the tensions between safety-oriented and commercial imperatives in AI development.


Altman has expressed a longstanding interest in topics such as life extension, pandemic preparedness, and existential risk. A 2023 ''Business Insider'' article detailed his interest in pandemic and apocalypse preparedness, as well as life extension technologies.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2023-04 |title=Sam Altman's interest in pandemic, apocalypse, immortality, and life extension |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-pandemic-apocalypse-immortality-life-extension-openai-2023-4 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
==== Recent developments ====


He has also been involved in high-level discussions on global governance and technology policy. Altman attended the [[Bilderberg Meeting]] in 2022 and 2023, participating in sessions focused on artificial intelligence and its geopolitical implications.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bilderberg Meetings – Participants 2022 |url=https://www.bilderbergmeetings.org/meetings/meeting-2022/participants-2022 |publisher=Bilderberg Meetings |date=2022 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2023-05-18 |title=Bilderberg: OpenAI, Microsoft, Google join AI talks at secretive meeting |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/18/bilderberg-openai-microsoft-google-join-ai-talks-at-secretive-meeting.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2023-05-20 |title=Bilderberg meeting group in Lisbon |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/20/bilderberg-meeting-group-lisbon-kissinger |work=The Guardian |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
As of early 2026, Altman continues to serve as CEO of OpenAI. He has remained a prominent public voice on the trajectory of artificial intelligence, making appearances at industry conferences, policy forums, and media events globally. In February 2026, Altman spoke at an event hosted by ''The Indian Express'' in New Delhi, where he discussed topics including the race toward artificial general intelligence, competition within the AI industry, and the potential impact of AI on employment.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-21 |title=Sam Altman at Express Adda Highlights |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/sam-altman-at-express-adda-live-updates-open-ai-ceo-interview-anant-goenka-10542468/ |work=The Indian Express |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> During the same India visit, he addressed students at IIT Delhi, stating his view that AI would "automate the whole economy" and advising students to remain current with AI tools and their applications.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-23 |title=Sam Altman says AI will 'automate the whole economy', shares message for students at IIT Delhi |url=https://www.livemint.com/technology/tech-news/sam-altman-says-ai-will-automate-the-whole-economy-shares-message-for-students-at-iit-delhi-11771849044415.html |work=Mint |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
In February 2026, Altman publicly commented on what he described as "AI-washing" by technology companies—the practice of attributing layoffs to the adoption of artificial intelligence when the actual reasons may be more complex or unrelated to AI implementation. He suggested that some companies were using AI as a convenient justification for workforce reductions.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-22 |title=Sam Altman thinks tech companies are 'AI-washing' their layoffs |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/tech/article/layoffs-sam-altman-ai-washing-21647451.php |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-21 |title='Lay-offs': AI founder says quiet part out loud |url=https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/trends/ai-washing-openai-ceo-sam-altman-appears-to-confirm-sneaky-job-loss-trend/news-story/f4da1e473ecc7da7ab4a2b47fcae1227 |work=News.com.au |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
Altman has also commented publicly on the energy requirements of large-scale AI systems. In remarks reported in February 2026, he compared the energy and resources required to train AI models to the resources consumed in human development, stating that "training a human takes 20 years of food," and arguing that discussions about AI's energy consumption should be considered in that broader context.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-21 |title='Training A Human Takes 20 Years Of Food': Sam Altman On How Much Power AI Consumes |url=https://www.news18.com/world/training-a-human-takes-20-years-of-food-sam-altman-on-how-much-power-ai-consumes-ws-kl-9922309.html |work=News18 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
=== Clean energy investments ===
 
Outside of his role at OpenAI, Altman has pursued investments in clean energy technologies. He has served as chairman of [[Helion Energy]], a company developing fusion power technology, and [[Oklo]], a company focused on advanced nuclear fission reactors. Helion Energy has been working to develop a commercially viable fusion power plant, and Altman's personal investment in the company has been described as significant.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-20 |title=Sam Altman's Fusion Power Bet Just Got Hotter Than The Sun |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/the-prototype/2026/02/20/sam-altmans-fusion-power-bet-just-got-hotter-than-the-sun/ |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Altman stepped down from his chairman positions at both Helion Energy and Oklo in April 2025.
 
His interest in energy has been linked to the growing power demands of AI data centers and to a broader personal conviction about the importance of abundant, clean energy for long-term economic and technological progress.<ref name="newyorker" />


== Personal Life ==
== Personal Life ==


Altman is openly gay, having come out during his teenage years while attending high school in St. Louis, Missouri.<ref>{{cite news |last=Friend |first=Tad |date=2016-10-10 |title=Sam Altman's Manifest Destiny |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny |work=The New Yorker |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He has one child.
Altman is openly gay, a fact he has discussed in public interviews over the course of his career.<ref name="newyorker" /> He came out during high school in St. Louis.<ref name="newyorker" /> He has one child.


Altman has maintained a personal blog where he writes on topics including technology, start-ups, artificial intelligence, energy, and society.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sam Altman's Blog |url=https://blog.samaltman.com/ |publisher=Sam Altman |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He has expressed interest in survivalism and preparedness, and has spoken publicly about preparations for potential catastrophic events, including pandemics and societal disruptions.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2023-04 |title=Sam Altman's interest in pandemic, apocalypse, immortality, and life extension |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-pandemic-apocalypse-immortality-life-extension-openai-2023-4 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Altman has spoken publicly about interests beyond technology, including in survivalism and preparedness for catastrophic scenarios. A 2023 ''Business Insider'' profile noted his interest in topics including pandemics, societal collapse, and life extension technologies.<ref name="bi-pandemic" /> In a 2016 ''New Yorker'' profile, Altman discussed having stockpiled supplies—including gold, guns, antibiotics, and batteries—in case of a catastrophic event, as well as an arrangement with a fellow Silicon Valley figure to travel to a designated safe location in the event of a pandemic.<ref name="newyorker" />


As of 2025, Altman's net worth was estimated at approximately US$2.1 billion by ''Forbes''.
Altman maintains a personal blog where he writes about technology, startups, and societal issues.<ref name="blog" />


== Recognition ==
== Recognition ==


Altman has received significant media attention and recognition over the course of his career. In 2016, ''The New Yorker'' published a detailed profile of Altman under the title "Sam Altman's Manifest Destiny," examining his role at Y Combinator and his ambitions for the future of technology.<ref>{{cite news |last=Friend |first=Tad |date=2016-10-10 |title=Sam Altman's Manifest Destiny |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny |work=The New Yorker |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Altman has been recognized by several publications and organizations for his influence in the technology sector. In 2025, ''Time'' magazine named him among the "Architects of AI" as part of its Person of the Year coverage, reflecting his central role in the development and commercialization of artificial intelligence technologies.
 
Following the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, Altman became one of the most prominent figures in the global technology industry. He was profiled extensively by outlets including ''The New York Times'', ''The Washington Post'', and ''Business Insider''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Metz |first=Cade |date=2023-03-31 |title=The Man Behind ChatGPT |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/31/technology/sam-altman-open-ai-chatgpt.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Tiku |first=Nitasha |date=2023-04-09 |title=Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, on the Promise and Risk of AI |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/09/sam-altman-openai-chatgpt/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2025, ''Time'' magazine named Altman among the "Architects of AI" as part of its annual Person of the Year designation, recognizing his central role in the development and commercialization of AI technology.
He has been a participant in the [[Bilderberg Meeting]], attending the 2016 and 2022 gatherings of the annual invitation-only conference of political leaders, business executives, and intellectuals.<ref>{{cite web |title=Participants 2022 |url=https://www.bilderbergmeetings.org/meetings/meeting-2022/participants-2022 |publisher=Bilderberg Meetings |date=2022 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2023-05-18 |title=Bilderberg: OpenAI, Microsoft, Google join AI talks at secretive meeting |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/18/bilderberg-openai-microsoft-google-join-ai-talks-at-secretive-meeting.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2023-05-20 |title=Bilderberg meeting group gathers in Lisbon |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/20/bilderberg-meeting-group-lisbon-kissinger |work=The Guardian |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Altman has been a speaker and participant at major global forums, including the [[Bilderberg Meeting]], where he joined discussions with world leaders and senior executives from technology companies on the implications of artificial intelligence.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2023-05-18 |title=Bilderberg: OpenAI, Microsoft, Google join AI talks at secretive meeting |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/18/bilderberg-openai-microsoft-google-join-ai-talks-at-secretive-meeting.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
His estimated net worth, as reported by ''Forbes'', is approximately US$2.1 billion, derived primarily from his personal investments in technology and energy companies rather than from a salary at OpenAI, which for many years operated as a nonprofit.


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


Altman's career has placed him at the center of several defining developments in early 21st-century technology. His leadership of Y Combinator during a period of significant expansion helped shape the accelerator model that has become standard in the start-up ecosystem. His transition from that role to leading OpenAI coincided with—and, to a degree, helped accelerate—the emergence of artificial intelligence as a dominant theme in global technology and investment.
Altman's career has spanned three distinct phases of Silicon Valley's evolution: the mobile application era of the late 2000s, the rise of startup accelerators and seed-stage venture capital in the 2010s, and the emergence of large-scale artificial intelligence in the 2020s. His trajectory from Y Combinator startup founder to Y Combinator president to CEO of one of the most closely watched AI organizations in the world has placed him at the center of debates about the development, governance, and societal impact of artificial intelligence.
 
The launch of ChatGPT under Altman's tenure at OpenAI marked a turning point in public awareness of generative AI and large language models. The product's rapid adoption prompted responses from competitors including Google, Meta, and numerous start-ups, and catalyzed a broader "AI boom" characterized by massive capital inflows, workforce changes, and regulatory scrutiny worldwide.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2026-02-21 |title=People Loved the Dot-Com Boom. The A.I. Boom, Not So Much. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/21/technology/ai-boom-backlash.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


The November 2023 board crisis at OpenAI, in which Altman was removed and quickly reinstated, became a landmark event in the debate over corporate governance of AI organizations. It highlighted tensions between nonprofit governance structures and the commercial imperatives of companies at the frontier of AI research.
The launch of ChatGPT under Altman's leadership at OpenAI is considered a pivotal moment in the commercialization of AI, comparable in cultural impact to the introduction of the iPhone or the World Wide Web in terms of bringing a previously specialized technology into mass public use.<ref name="wapo" /> The product's success reshaped public discourse about AI and prompted governments around the world to accelerate regulatory efforts related to AI safety, intellectual property, and labor market impacts.


Altman's investments in fusion energy through Helion and nuclear fission through Oklo reflect a broader thesis—shared with some other technology executives—that the growth of AI will require a fundamental transformation in global energy infrastructure.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2026-02-20 |title=Sam Altman's Fusion Power Bet Just Got Hotter Than The Sun |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/the-prototype/2026/02/20/sam-altmans-fusion-power-bet-just-got-hotter-than-the-sun/ |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
The November 2023 board crisis at OpenAI, and Altman's rapid reinstatement, highlighted the governance challenges facing organizations at the intersection of nonprofit mission-driven research and commercial technology development. The episode prompted broader discussions in the technology industry and among policymakers about how organizations developing potentially transformative AI systems should be structured and governed.


As AI technology continues to develop and its societal implications become more apparent, Altman's role as CEO of OpenAI positions him as a central figure in ongoing debates about the trajectory, governance, and impact of artificial intelligence.
As of 2026, Altman remains one of the most prominent figures in the global conversation about artificial intelligence, its commercial applications, and its implications for the future of work, energy, and society.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-21 |title=People Loved the Dot-Com Boom. The A.I. Boom, Not So Much. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/21/technology/ai-boom-backlash.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
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Latest revision as of 01:43, 24 February 2026


Sam Altman
BornSamuel Harris Altman
22 4, 1985
BirthplaceChicago, Illinois, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationTemplate:Flatlist
Known forCEO of OpenAI, President of Y Combinator, Co-founder of Loopt
EducationStanford University (dropped out)
Children1
Website[[blog.samaltman.com blog.samaltman.com] Official site]

Samuel Harris Altman (born April 22, 1985) is an American technology executive, entrepreneur, and investor who has served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of OpenAI, the artificial intelligence research organization, since 2019. Under his leadership, OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022, a product that brought large language models into mainstream public awareness and catalyzed a global wave of investment and development in artificial intelligence. Before leading OpenAI, Altman built his reputation in Silicon Valley first as a startup founder—co-founding the mobile geolocation company Loopt while still a teenager—and then as a prominent investor and accelerator leader, serving as president of Y Combinator from 2014 to 2019.[1] In November 2023, Altman was briefly ousted as CEO of OpenAI by the organization's board of directors, an event that drew intense public and media scrutiny before he was reinstated five days later amid pressure from employees and investors.[2] Beyond artificial intelligence, Altman has pursued investments in clean energy, serving as chairman of the fusion energy company Helion Energy and the nuclear technology company Oklo, positions from which he stepped down in April 2025. In 2025, Time named Altman among the "Architects of AI" as part of its Person of the Year designation.

Early Life

Samuel Harris Altman was born on April 22, 1985, in Chicago, Illinois.[1] He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was raised in a Jewish family.[3] Altman developed an early interest in computers and technology. He received his first computer, a Macintosh, at the age of eight, an event he has cited as formative in sparking his interest in programming and technology.[1]

Altman attended John Burroughs School, a private preparatory school in the St. Louis area. He came out as gay during high school, a fact he has discussed publicly in subsequent years.[1] His early exposure to both technology and entrepreneurship helped shape a trajectory that would lead him to Silicon Valley shortly after graduating from high school.

A 2016 profile in The New Yorker described Altman as possessing an early confidence in his abilities and a conviction that technology could be used to address large-scale problems.[1] His upbringing in the Midwest, far from the established technology hubs of California, did not deter him from pursuing a career in the industry; by his late teens, he was already planning his entry into the startup world.

Education

Altman enrolled at Stanford University in California, where he studied computer science.[1] However, he did not complete his degree. After two years at Stanford, Altman dropped out to co-found Loopt, a mobile geolocation startup, in 2005.[4] The decision to leave Stanford placed Altman in a lineage of notable Silicon Valley figures—including Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg—who left elite universities to pursue entrepreneurial ventures. Altman has spoken about the decision as a calculated risk, motivated by the opportunity he saw in the nascent smartphone application market.[1]

Career

Loopt (2005–2012)

In 2005, at the age of 19, Altman co-founded Loopt, a smartphone-based geosocial networking application that allowed users to share their location with friends and discover nearby businesses and events.[5] Loopt was one of the first companies funded by Y Combinator, the influential Silicon Valley startup accelerator founded by Paul Graham.[1] The company was part of Y Combinator's inaugural Summer 2005 batch, a cohort that helped establish the accelerator model that would become a dominant feature of the startup ecosystem.

Over the course of its existence, Loopt raised more than US$30 million in venture capital funding.[1] The company attracted investment from notable Silicon Valley venture capital firms and operated during a period when location-based mobile services were an emerging category. Loopt was available on multiple mobile platforms and partnered with several major U.S. wireless carriers to distribute its application.

Despite the significant capital raised, Loopt struggled to achieve the user growth necessary to compete in the increasingly crowded location-based services market, which included rivals such as Foursquare and Gowalla. In March 2012, Loopt was acquired by the prepaid debit card company Green Dot Corporation for approximately US$43.4 million.[6] While the acquisition did not represent a major financial return relative to the capital invested, the experience of founding and running Loopt gave Altman direct operational experience in the startup world and deepened his connections within Silicon Valley's investment and entrepreneurial communities.

Y Combinator (2011–2019)

Following the sale of Loopt, Altman became increasingly involved with Y Combinator. In 2011, he began working with the accelerator as a part-time partner.[1] His role expanded over the following years, and in 2014, Y Combinator co-founder Paul Graham selected Altman to succeed him as president of the organization.[7][8]

As president of Y Combinator, Altman oversaw a significant expansion of the organization's activities and influence. Under his leadership, Y Combinator increased the size of its batches—the cohorts of startups admitted to the program each cycle—and broadened its focus to include a wider range of industries and company stages. Altman helped establish the YC Continuity Fund, a growth-stage investment vehicle that allowed Y Combinator to continue backing its most successful portfolio companies as they matured beyond the accelerator's traditional early-stage focus.[1]

A lengthy profile published in The New Yorker in October 2016 described Altman as one of the most influential figures in Silicon Valley, detailing his role in shaping Y Combinator and his broader ambitions for technology's role in society.[1] The article described his wide-ranging interests, including in areas such as universal basic income, nuclear energy, and the long-term risks and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence.

During his tenure at Y Combinator, Altman also became known for his personal blog, where he published essays on topics including startup strategy, management, and technology trends.[9] His writing and public commentary helped establish him as a thought leader in the startup community and extended his influence beyond Y Combinator's direct portfolio.

A 2014 interview in Esquire magazine profiled Altman as a rising figure in technology, highlighting his rapid ascent from young entrepreneur to one of the most prominent gatekeepers in Silicon Valley's startup ecosystem.[4] The article noted his involvement in discussions around preparedness for catastrophic events, a theme that would recur in subsequent profiles.[10]

Altman served as president of Y Combinator until 2019, when he departed to focus full-time on leading OpenAI.

OpenAI (2015–present)

Founding and early involvement

OpenAI was founded in December 2015 as a nonprofit artificial intelligence research organization. Altman was one of the co-founders, alongside Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Reid Hoffman, and others.[3] The organization's stated mission was to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI) would benefit humanity as a whole. Altman's involvement in OpenAI from its inception reflected his long-standing interest in AI and its potential societal implications, themes he had explored during his time at Y Combinator.[1]

In its early years, OpenAI operated as a research laboratory, publishing papers and releasing tools while recruiting top researchers in the field of machine learning and artificial intelligence. The organization attracted significant philanthropic funding and positioned itself as a counterweight to the concentration of AI capabilities within large technology corporations.

Transition to CEO

In 2019, Altman became CEO of OpenAI, coinciding with a significant structural change within the organization. OpenAI transitioned from a purely nonprofit entity to a "capped-profit" structure, creating a for-profit subsidiary—OpenAI LP—that could attract commercial investment while theoretically maintaining the nonprofit's oversight and mission orientation.[2] This structural shift was driven in part by the enormous computational costs associated with training state-of-the-art AI models, which required financial resources beyond what philanthropic donations alone could sustain.

Under the capped-profit model, investors in OpenAI LP could receive returns up to a specified cap, after which additional profits would revert to the nonprofit parent. The arrangement attracted a major investment from Microsoft, which committed US$1 billion to OpenAI in 2019 and subsequently made additional multi-billion-dollar investments, establishing a deep commercial and technical partnership between the two organizations.[3]

Launch of ChatGPT and the AI boom

The release of ChatGPT on November 30, 2022, marked a turning point for both OpenAI and the broader artificial intelligence industry. ChatGPT, based on OpenAI's GPT-3.5 large language model, was a conversational AI system that demonstrated a capacity for generating human-like text across a wide range of tasks, from answering questions and writing code to composing essays and creative fiction. The product attracted an estimated 100 million users within two months of its launch, making it one of the fastest-growing consumer technology products in history.[2][3]

The success of ChatGPT propelled Altman into a level of public prominence unusual for a technology executive outside of the consumer electronics or social media sectors. He became a frequent interlocutor for policymakers, journalists, and industry leaders seeking to understand the implications of rapidly advancing AI capabilities. His public statements during this period combined enthusiasm for AI's potential benefits with acknowledgments of its risks, including to labor markets, information integrity, and societal stability.[3]

The release of ChatGPT also triggered a wave of investment and competition across the technology industry, with major companies including Google, Meta, and Amazon accelerating their own AI development programs. This period has been described as the "AI boom," and Altman has been identified as one of its central figures.[11]

Board crisis and reinstatement (November 2023)

On November 17, 2023, OpenAI's board of directors abruptly removed Altman from his position as CEO. In a public statement, the board cited a loss of "confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI" but did not initially provide specific details about the reasons for the decision.[2] The announcement came as a surprise to much of OpenAI's staff, its investors, and the broader technology industry.

The removal triggered an immediate and intense backlash. A large majority of OpenAI's employees signed an open letter threatening to resign if Altman was not reinstated and if the board members who had voted for his removal did not step down. Microsoft, as OpenAI's largest investor and commercial partner, publicly expressed support for Altman. Reports at the time indicated that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella offered Altman a position leading a new advanced AI research team at Microsoft, though Altman ultimately did not take that role.[3]

After five days of intense negotiations, Altman was reinstated as CEO of OpenAI on November 22, 2023. As part of the resolution, the board of directors was restructured, with several of the members who had voted for Altman's removal departing and new members being appointed. The episode drew widespread attention and commentary about the governance challenges inherent in OpenAI's unusual nonprofit-over-for-profit structure, the concentration of power in AI organizations, and the tensions between safety-oriented and commercial imperatives in AI development.

Recent developments

As of early 2026, Altman continues to serve as CEO of OpenAI. He has remained a prominent public voice on the trajectory of artificial intelligence, making appearances at industry conferences, policy forums, and media events globally. In February 2026, Altman spoke at an event hosted by The Indian Express in New Delhi, where he discussed topics including the race toward artificial general intelligence, competition within the AI industry, and the potential impact of AI on employment.[12] During the same India visit, he addressed students at IIT Delhi, stating his view that AI would "automate the whole economy" and advising students to remain current with AI tools and their applications.[13]

In February 2026, Altman publicly commented on what he described as "AI-washing" by technology companies—the practice of attributing layoffs to the adoption of artificial intelligence when the actual reasons may be more complex or unrelated to AI implementation. He suggested that some companies were using AI as a convenient justification for workforce reductions.[14][15]

Altman has also commented publicly on the energy requirements of large-scale AI systems. In remarks reported in February 2026, he compared the energy and resources required to train AI models to the resources consumed in human development, stating that "training a human takes 20 years of food," and arguing that discussions about AI's energy consumption should be considered in that broader context.[16]

Clean energy investments

Outside of his role at OpenAI, Altman has pursued investments in clean energy technologies. He has served as chairman of Helion Energy, a company developing fusion power technology, and Oklo, a company focused on advanced nuclear fission reactors. Helion Energy has been working to develop a commercially viable fusion power plant, and Altman's personal investment in the company has been described as significant.[17] Altman stepped down from his chairman positions at both Helion Energy and Oklo in April 2025.

His interest in energy has been linked to the growing power demands of AI data centers and to a broader personal conviction about the importance of abundant, clean energy for long-term economic and technological progress.[1]

Personal Life

Altman is openly gay, a fact he has discussed in public interviews over the course of his career.[1] He came out during high school in St. Louis.[1] He has one child.

Altman has spoken publicly about interests beyond technology, including in survivalism and preparedness for catastrophic scenarios. A 2023 Business Insider profile noted his interest in topics including pandemics, societal collapse, and life extension technologies.[10] In a 2016 New Yorker profile, Altman discussed having stockpiled supplies—including gold, guns, antibiotics, and batteries—in case of a catastrophic event, as well as an arrangement with a fellow Silicon Valley figure to travel to a designated safe location in the event of a pandemic.[1]

Altman maintains a personal blog where he writes about technology, startups, and societal issues.[9]

Recognition

Altman has been recognized by several publications and organizations for his influence in the technology sector. In 2025, Time magazine named him among the "Architects of AI" as part of its Person of the Year coverage, reflecting his central role in the development and commercialization of artificial intelligence technologies.

He has been a participant in the Bilderberg Meeting, attending the 2016 and 2022 gatherings of the annual invitation-only conference of political leaders, business executives, and intellectuals.[18][19][20]

His estimated net worth, as reported by Forbes, is approximately US$2.1 billion, derived primarily from his personal investments in technology and energy companies rather than from a salary at OpenAI, which for many years operated as a nonprofit.

Legacy

Altman's career has spanned three distinct phases of Silicon Valley's evolution: the mobile application era of the late 2000s, the rise of startup accelerators and seed-stage venture capital in the 2010s, and the emergence of large-scale artificial intelligence in the 2020s. His trajectory from Y Combinator startup founder to Y Combinator president to CEO of one of the most closely watched AI organizations in the world has placed him at the center of debates about the development, governance, and societal impact of artificial intelligence.

The launch of ChatGPT under Altman's leadership at OpenAI is considered a pivotal moment in the commercialization of AI, comparable in cultural impact to the introduction of the iPhone or the World Wide Web in terms of bringing a previously specialized technology into mass public use.[2] The product's success reshaped public discourse about AI and prompted governments around the world to accelerate regulatory efforts related to AI safety, intellectual property, and labor market impacts.

The November 2023 board crisis at OpenAI, and Altman's rapid reinstatement, highlighted the governance challenges facing organizations at the intersection of nonprofit mission-driven research and commercial technology development. The episode prompted broader discussions in the technology industry and among policymakers about how organizations developing potentially transformative AI systems should be structured and governed.

As of 2026, Altman remains one of the most prominent figures in the global conversation about artificial intelligence, its commercial applications, and its implications for the future of work, energy, and society.[21]

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 FriendTadTad"Sam Altman's Manifest Destiny".The New Yorker.2016-10-10.https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 De VynckGerritGerrit"Sam Altman, OpenAI and ChatGPT".The Washington Post.2023-04-09.https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/09/sam-altman-openai-chatgpt/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 MetzCadeCade"Sam Altman, OpenAI and ChatGPT".The New York Times.2023-03-31.https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/31/technology/sam-altman-open-ai-chatgpt.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Sam Altman Interview".Esquire.2014.https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/interviews/a30763/sam-altman-interview-2014/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  5. ↑ "Loopt Executive Team".Loopt.https://web.archive.org/web/20120216022416/http://www.loopt.com/about/company/executives/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  6. ↑ "Startup Loopt Lands With Green Dot".The Wall Street Journal.2012-03-09.https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/03/09/startup-loopt-lands-with-green-dot/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  7. ↑ "Sam Altman Named President of Y Combinator".Entrepreneur.https://web.archive.org/web/20151222150644/http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244508.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  8. ↑ "Y Combinator People".Y Combinator.https://web.archive.org/web/20140625021419/http://ycombinator.com/people.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Sam Altman's Blog".Sam Altman.https://blog.samaltman.com/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Sam Altman on Pandemics, Apocalypse, and Life Extension".Business Insider.2023-04.https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-pandemic-apocalypse-immortality-life-extension-openai-2023-4.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  11. ↑ "People Loved the Dot-Com Boom. The A.I. Boom, Not So Much.".The New York Times.2026-02-21.https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/21/technology/ai-boom-backlash.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  12. ↑ "Sam Altman at Express Adda Highlights".The Indian Express.2026-02-21.https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/sam-altman-at-express-adda-live-updates-open-ai-ceo-interview-anant-goenka-10542468/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  13. ↑ "Sam Altman says AI will 'automate the whole economy', shares message for students at IIT Delhi".Mint.2026-02-23.https://www.livemint.com/technology/tech-news/sam-altman-says-ai-will-automate-the-whole-economy-shares-message-for-students-at-iit-delhi-11771849044415.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  14. ↑ "Sam Altman thinks tech companies are 'AI-washing' their layoffs".San Francisco Chronicle.2026-02-22.https://www.sfchronicle.com/tech/article/layoffs-sam-altman-ai-washing-21647451.php.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  15. ↑ "'Lay-offs': AI founder says quiet part out loud".News.com.au.2026-02-21.https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/trends/ai-washing-openai-ceo-sam-altman-appears-to-confirm-sneaky-job-loss-trend/news-story/f4da1e473ecc7da7ab4a2b47fcae1227.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  16. ↑ "'Training A Human Takes 20 Years Of Food': Sam Altman On How Much Power AI Consumes".News18.2026-02-21.https://www.news18.com/world/training-a-human-takes-20-years-of-food-sam-altman-on-how-much-power-ai-consumes-ws-kl-9922309.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  17. ↑ "Sam Altman's Fusion Power Bet Just Got Hotter Than The Sun".Forbes.2026-02-20.https://www.forbes.com/sites/the-prototype/2026/02/20/sam-altmans-fusion-power-bet-just-got-hotter-than-the-sun/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  18. ↑ "Participants 2022".Bilderberg Meetings.2022.https://www.bilderbergmeetings.org/meetings/meeting-2022/participants-2022.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  19. ↑ "Bilderberg: OpenAI, Microsoft, Google join AI talks at secretive meeting".CNBC.2023-05-18.https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/18/bilderberg-openai-microsoft-google-join-ai-talks-at-secretive-meeting.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  20. ↑ "Bilderberg meeting group gathers in Lisbon".The Guardian.2023-05-20.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/20/bilderberg-meeting-group-lisbon-kissinger.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  21. ↑ "People Loved the Dot-Com Boom. The A.I. Boom, Not So Much.".The New York Times.2026-02-21.https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/21/technology/ai-boom-backlash.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.

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