Sam Altman

Altman was born on April 22, 1985, in Chicago, Illinois,{{Cite web |date=2025-03-20 |title=An Interview with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman About Building a Consumer Tech Company |url=https://stratechery.com/2025/an-interview-with-openai-ceo-sam-altman-about-building-a-consumer-tech-company/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Stratechery by Ben Thompson |language=en-US |quote=I was born in Chicago, but I really grew up in St. Louis.}} into a Jewish family,{{cite web | last1=Chapman | first1=Glenn | last2=Bachner | first2=Michael | last3=Magid | first3=Jacob | last4=Ben-David | first4=Ricky | last5=Schneider | first5=Tal | last6=Magid | first6=Jacob | last7=Bachner | first7=Michael | last8=Sharon | first8=Jeremy | title=Sam Altman: The quick, deep thinker leading OpenAI | website=The Times of Israel | date=2023-05-17 | url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/sam-altman-the-quick-deep-thinker-leading-openai/ | access-date=2023-11-24 | archive-date=June 1, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601084908/https://www.timesofisrael.com/sam-altman-the-quick-deep-thinker-leading-openai/ | url-status=live }} and grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. His mother is a dermatologist, and his father was a real estate broker. Altman is the eldest of four siblings. At the age of eight, he received his first computer, an Apple Macintosh, and began to learn how to code and take apart computer hardware.{{cite web |first=Tom |last=Junod |title=How Venture Capitalists Find Opportunities in the Future |url=https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/interviews/a30763/sam-altman-interview-2014/ |work=Esquire |date=December 18, 2014 |accessdate=December 15, 2015 |archive-date=December 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151220145855/http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/interviews/a30763/sam-altman-interview-2014/ |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Afifi-Sabet |first1=Keumars |title=Sam Altman: the OpenAI CEO leading the AI revolution |url=https://theweek.com/news/technology/961823/sam-altman-profile-openai-ceo-leading-ai-revolution |access-date=16 March 2024 |publisher=The Week}} He attended John Burroughs School, a private school in Ladue, Missouri.{{cite news |last1=Nguyen |first1=Britney |last2=Hart |first2=Jordan |title=Meet Sam Altman, the OpenAI CEO who learned to code at 8 and is a doomsday prepper with a stash of guns and gold |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-chatgpt-openai-ceo-career-net-worth-ycombinator-prepper-2023-1 |access-date=16 March 2024 |date=February 20, 2024}} In 2005, after two years at Stanford University studying computer science, he dropped out without earning a bachelor's degree.{{Cite magazine |last=Hagy |first=Paige |date=November 21, 2023 |title=Sam Altman's ousting from OpenAI could lead to even greater success: 'You could parachute him into an island full of cannibals and come back in five years and he'd be the king' |url=https://fortune.com/2023/11/21/who-is-sam-altman-openai-career-microsoft-background-y-combinator-loopt-stanford/ |magazine=Fortune}}{{cite web |title=People |url=http://ycombinator.com/people.html |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625021419/http://ycombinator.com/people.html |archive-date=June 25, 2014 |accessdate=December 15, 2015 |work=Y Combinator}}

In 2005, at the age of 19,{{cite web |last=Ankeny |first=Jason |date=April 25, 2015 |title=Meet Y Combinator's Bold Whiz Kid Boss |url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244508 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222150644/http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244508 |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |accessdate=December 15, 2015 |website=Entrepreneur}} Sam Altman co-founded Loopt,{{cite web|url=http://www.loopt.com/about/company/executives |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216022416/http://www.loopt.com/about/company/executives/ |archive-date=February 16, 2012 |title=Executives |accessdate=December 15, 2015 |work=Loopt}} a location-based social networking mobile application. As CEO, he raised more than $30 million in venture capital for the company, including an initial investment of $5 million from Patrick Chung of Xfund and his team at New Enterprise Associates, followed by investments from Sequoia Capital and Y Combinator.{{Cite news |last=Seetharaman |first=Deepa |date=December 24, 2023 |title=Sam Altman's Knack for Dodging Bullets—With a Little Help From Bigshot Friends |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/sam-altman-openai-protected-by-silicon-valley-friends-f3efcf68 |url-access=subscription |work=The Wall Street Journal}} In March 2012, after Loopt failed to gain significant user traction, the company was acquired by the Green Dot Corporation for $43.4 million.{{cite news |last=Vascellaro |first=Jessica E. |date=March 9, 2012 |title=Startup Loopt Lands with Green Dot |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/03/09/startup-loopt-lands-with-green-dot/ |url-status=live |accessdate=March 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313052152/http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/03/09/startup-loopt-lands-with-green-dot/ |archive-date=March 13, 2012}}

In 2011, Altman became a partner at Y Combinator (YC), a startup accelerator that invests in a wide range of startups, initially working on a part-time basis.{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Kate |date=2019-03-08 |title=Y Combinator president Sam Altman is stepping down amid a series of changes at the accelerator |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/08/y-combinator-president-sam-altman-is-stepping-down-amid-a-series-of-changes-at-the-accelerator/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028032045/https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/08/y-combinator-president-sam-altman-is-stepping-down-amid-a-series-of-changes-at-the-accelerator/ |archive-date=2020-10-28 |access-date=2019-03-18 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} In February 2014, he was named president of YC by co-founder Paul Graham.{{Cite web |last=Loizos |first=Connie |date=November 6, 2015 |title=Garry Tan Says Goodbye to Y Combinator |url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/11/06/garry-tan-says-goodbye-to-y-combinator/ |access-date=March 18, 2019 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US |archive-date=November 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106180554/https://techcrunch.com/2015/11/06/garry-tan-says-goodbye-to-y-combinator/ |url-status=live }} In a 2014 blog post, Altman stated that the total valuation of YC companies had surpassed $65 billion, including Airbnb, Dropbox, Zenefits, and Stripe.{{cite news |last=Altman |first=Sam |date=August 26, 2015 |title=YC Stats |publisher=Y Combinator |url=https://blog.ycombinator.com/yc-stats |url-status=live |accessdate=December 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151218203854/http://blog.ycombinator.com/yc-stats |archive-date=December 18, 2015}} He aimed to expand YC to fund 1,000 new companies per year and sought to broaden the types of companies funded, particularly focusing on "hard technology" startups.{{cite news |last=Chafkin |first=Max |date=April 16, 2015 |title=Y Combinator President Sam Altman is Dreaming Big |website=Fast Company |url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3044282/the-y-combinator-chronicles/california-dreamin |url-status=live |accessdate=July 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722024957/http://www.fastcompany.com/3044282/the-y-combinator-chronicles/california-dreamin |archive-date=July 22, 2015}}

In April 2012, Altman co-founded Hydrazine Capital with his brother, Jack Altman.{{Cite web |last=Hydrazine Capital GP, LLC |date=February 14, 2023 |title=Form ADV - Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration and Report by Exempt Reporting Advisers. |url=https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/reports/ADV/165781/PDF/165781.pdf |access-date=2023-07-27 |website=Securities and Exchange Commission |archive-date=July 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727205535/https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/reports/ADV/165781/PDF/165781.pdf |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Hydrazine Capital LP - Company Profile and News |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/1003986D:US |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230727204255/https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/1003986D:US |archive-date=2023-07-27 |access-date=2023-07-27 |website=Bloomberg L.P. |language=en}} The venture capital firm is still in operation and focuses on early-stage tech investments.{{cite news |last1=Matthews |first1=Jessica |title=The University of Michigan wrote Sam Altman's venture capital firm a $75M check earlier this year for a new fund |url=https://fortune.com/2023/12/20/university-of-michigan-wrote-sam-altman-venture-capital-firm-75-million-check/ |access-date=16 March 2024 |publisher=Fortune}}

In October 2015, Altman announced YC Continuity, a $700 million equity fund designed to invest in YC companies as they matured.{{cite news |date=October 15, 2015 |title=YC Continuity |url=http://blog.ycombinator.com/yc-continuity-fund |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151218203823/http://blog.ycombinator.com/yc-continuity-fund |archive-date=December 18, 2015 |accessdate=December 19, 2015 |publisher=Y Combinator}}{{cite news |date=October 15, 2015 |title=Y Combinator raises $700M to keep funding YC startups as they mature |url=https://venturebeat.com/2015/10/15/y-combinator-raises-700m-to-keep-funding-yc-startups-as-they-mature/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222185526/http://venturebeat.com/2015/10/15/y-combinator-raises-700m-to-keep-funding-yc-startups-as-they-mature/ |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |accessdate=December 19, 2015 |website=VentureBeat}} A week earlier, he had introduced Y Combinator Research, a non-profit research lab, donating $10 million of his own funds to establish it.{{cite news | url=https://blog.ycombinator.com/yc-research |access-date=February 19, 2016 |title=YC Research | publisher=Y Combinator |date=October 7, 2015 |archive-date=February 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215225536/https://blog.ycombinator.com/yc-research |url-status=live}}

In December 2015, Altman co-founded OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research organization, alongside notable figures such as Elon Musk, Jessica Livingston, and Peter Thiel. OpenAI was established with the goal of promoting and developing friendly AI for the benefit of humanity.{{cite web |title=OpenAI |url=https://openai.com/about/ |access-date=November 25, 2023 |website=OpenAI}}{{cite magazine |last=Metz |first=Cade |date=December 11, 2015 |title=Elon Musk and Sam Altman Found OpenAI, a Non-Profit Artificial Intelligence Research Company |url=https://www.wired.com/2015/12/elon-musk-and-sam-altman-founding-non-profit-artificial-intelligence-research-company/ |magazine=Wired |access-date=November 25, 2023}} The organization was initially funded with $1 billion in commitments from its founders and other investors, including Microsoft and Amazon Web Services.

In September 2016, Altman announced his expanded role as president of YC Group, which included Y Combinator and other units.{{cite web |last=Altman |first=Sam |date=September 13, 2016 |title=YC Changes |url=https://blog.ycombinator.com/yc-changes |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107155921/https://blog.ycombinator.com/yc-changes |archive-date=November 7, 2016 |accessdate=November 7, 2016 |work=Y Combinator}}

In March 2019, YC announced Altman's transition from president to a less hands-on role as chairman of the board, allowing him to focus on OpenAI.{{Cite web |last=Loizos |first=Connie |date=March 9, 2019 |title=Did Sam Altman make YC better or worse? |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/09/did-sam-altman-make-yc-better-or-worse/ |access-date=February 3, 2020 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US |archive-date=December 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20191229100731/https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/09/did-sam-altman-make-yc-better-or-worse/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://blog.ycombinator.com/updates-from-yc/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190316222853/https://blog.ycombinator.com/updates-from-yc/ |archive-date=16 March 2019 |title=Updates from YC }} This decision came shortly after YC announced it would be moving its headquarters to San Francisco. As of early 2020, he was no longer affiliated with YC.{{Cite news |last=McGregor |first=Jena |date=February 21, 2020 |title=Y Combinator president Sam Altman steps down to focus on OpenAI |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/02/21/sam-altman-steps-down-y-combinator/ |access-date=November 25, 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}

In 2019, Altman co-founded the for-profit company Tools For Humanity,{{Cite web |last=Currie |first=Richard |date=2023-05-16 |title=Sam Altman rattles tin for Worldcoin crypto startup |url=https://www.theregister.com/2023/05/16/worldcoin_fundraising/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621083448/https://www.theregister.com/2023/05/16/worldcoin_fundraising/ |archive-date=2023-06-21 |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=The Register}} which builds and distributes systems designed to scan people's eyes to provide authentication and verify proof of personhood to counter fraud. Participants who agree to have their eyes scanned are compensated with a cryptocurrency called Worldcoin.{{Cite web |last1=Nieva |first1=Richard |last2=Sethi |first2=Aman |date=2022-04-21 |title=Worldcoin Promised Free Crypto If They Scanned Their Eyeballs With "The Orb." Now They Feel Robbed. |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/richardnieva/worldcoin-crypto-eyeball-scanning-orb-problems |access-date=November 25, 2023 |website=BuzzFeed News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last1=Guo |first1=Eileen |last2=Renaldi |first2=Adi |date=2022-04-06 |title=Deception, exploited workers, and cash handouts: How Worldcoin recruited its first half a million test users |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/04/06/1048981/worldcoin-cryptocurrency-biometrics-web3/ |access-date=November 25, 2023 |website=MIT Technology Review |language=en}}{{cite magazine |title=You Can Get This Free Crypto—If the 'Orb' Scans Your Eye |date=2021-10-21 |magazine=Wired |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629192434/https://www.wired.com/story/get-free-crypto-orb-scans-eye/ |archive-date=2023-06-29 |url-status=live |url=https://www.wired.com/story/get-free-crypto-orb-scans-eye/ |access-date=November 25, 2023}}{{Cite web |last=Hart |first=Robert |title=What Is Worldcoin? Here's What To Know About The Eyeball-Scanning Crypto Project Launched By OpenAI's Sam Altman |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/07/24/what-is-worldcoin-heres-what-to-know-about-the-eyeball-scanning-crypto-project-launched-by-openais-sam-altman/ |date=July 24, 2023 |access-date=November 25, 2023 |website=Forbes |language=en |archive-date=July 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725182537/https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/07/24/what-is-worldcoin-heres-what-to-know-about-the-eyeball-scanning-crypto-project-launched-by-openais-sam-altman/ |url-status=live }} Tools For Humanity describes its cryptocurrency as similar to universal basic income.{{Cite web |date=October 21, 2021 |title=How the Launch Works |url=https://worldcoin.org/blog/worldcoin/how-the-launch-works |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525211110/https://worldcoin.org/blog/worldcoin/how-the-launch-works |archive-date=May 25, 2023 |access-date=July 25, 2023 |website=Worldcoin}}{{Cite web |date=2023-01-27 |title=Opening the Orb: A look inside Worldcoin's biometric imaging device |url=https://worldcoin.org/blog/engineering/opening-orb-look-inside-worldcoin-biometric-imaging-device |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230213003550/https://worldcoin.org/blog/engineering/opening-orb-look-inside-worldcoin-biometric-imaging-device |archive-date=2023-02-13 |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=Worldcoin}} Tools For Humanity does not offer services in the United States, citing concerns over privacy and fraud.{{cite web |last1=Hammond |first1=George |last2=Chipolina |first2=Scott |date=2023-07-24 |title=Ready for your eye scan? Worldcoin launches—but not quite worldwide |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/07/ready-for-your-eye-scan-worldcoin-launches-but-not-quite-worldwide/ |access-date=21 November 2023 |website=Ars Technica |archive-date=August 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240807183000/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/07/ready-for-your-eye-scan-worldcoin-launches-but-not-quite-worldwide/ |url-status=live }} One of the first countries the company worked in was Kenya.{{cite news |last1=Njanja |first1=Annie |date=2 August 2023 |title=Kenya suspends Worldcoin scans over security, privacy and financial concerns |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/02/kenya-suspends-worldcoin-scans-over-security-privacy-and-financial-concerns |access-date=18 August 2023 |publisher=TechCrunch |archive-date=August 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818152609/https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/02/kenya-suspends-worldcoin-scans-over-security-privacy-and-financial-concerns/ |url-status=live }} Citing legal concerns over biometric data privacy and potential fraud concerns, regulators in France, the United Kingdom, Bavaria, South Korea, Kenya, Spain, Portugal, and Hong Kong have investigated or suspended WorldCoin.

; Sources for investigation:

• {{Cite web |last=Howcroft |first=Elizabeth |date=July 31, 2023 |title=France's watchdog questions legality of Worldcoin biometric data collection |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/frances-privacy-watchdog-says-worldcoin-legality-seems-questionable-2023-07-28/ |website=Reuters |access-date=August 7, 2024 |archive-date=May 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240529132034/https://www.reuters.com/technology/frances-privacy-watchdog-says-worldcoin-legality-seems-questionable-2023-07-28/ |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite web |last=Howcroft |first=Elizabeth |date=July 25, 2023 |title=UK data watchdog to make enquiries about Worldcoin crypto project |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/uk-data-watchdog-make-enquiries-worldcoin-crypto-project-2023-07-25/ |website=Reuters |access-date=August 7, 2024 |archive-date=October 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231023225438/https://www.reuters.com/technology/uk-data-watchdog-make-enquiries-worldcoin-crypto-project-2023-07-25/ |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite web |last=Howcroft |first=Elizabeth |date=July 31, 2023 |title=German data watchdog probing Worldcoin crypto project, official says |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/german-data-watchdog-probing-worldcoin-crypto-project-official-says-2023-07-31/ |website=Reuters}}
• {{Cite web |last=Atkinson |first=Sophie |date=2024-03-04 |title=South Korea launches investigation into Worldcoin |url=https://readwrite.com/south-korea-launches-investigation-into-worldcoin/ |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=ReadWrite |language=en-US |archive-date=May 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509015441/https://readwrite.com/south-korea-launches-investigation-into-worldcoin/ |url-status=live }}

; Sources suspension:

• {{cite news |last1=Njanja |first1=Annie |date=2 August 2023 |title=Kenya suspends Worldcoin scans over security, privacy and financial concerns |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/02/kenya-suspends-worldcoin-scans-over-security-privacy-and-financial-concerns |access-date=18 August 2023 |publisher=TechCrunch |archive-date=August 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818152609/https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/02/kenya-suspends-worldcoin-scans-over-security-privacy-and-financial-concerns/ |url-status=live }}
• {{cite news |last1=Roth |first1=Emma |date=2 August 2023 |title=Kenya suspends Sam Altman's eyeball-scanning crypto project |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/2/23817147/kenya-worldcoin-suspended-sam-altman-eyeball-scanning |access-date=18 August 2023 |publisher=The Verge |archive-date=August 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818153040/https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/2/23817147/kenya-worldcoin-suspended-sam-altman-eyeball-scanning |url-status=live }}
• {{cite news |last1=Njanja |first1=Annie |date=15 August 2023 |title=Worldcoin ignored initial order to stop iris scans in Kenya, records show |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/15/worldcoin-in-kenya/ |access-date=18 August 2023 |publisher=TechCrunch |archive-date=August 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818153039/https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/15/worldcoin-in-kenya/ |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite news |date=May 23, 2024 |title=Hong Kong regulator directs Worldcoin to cease operations citing privacy concerns |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/hong-kong-regulator-directs-worldcoin-cease-operations-citing-privacy-concerns-2024-05-22/ |access-date=30 May 2024 |work=Reuters}}
• {{Cite web |title=Spain blocks Sam Altman's eyeball-scanning venture Worldcoin |url=https://www.ft.com/content/204c1c81-7a6f-4a6a-907e-8782b9d1bed2 |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=www.ft.com |archive-date=August 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240807183006/https://www.ft.com/content/204c1c81-7a6f-4a6a-907e-8782b9d1bed2 |url-status=live }}
• {{Cite web |date=March 6, 2024 |title=Spain temporarily blocks Sam Altman's eyeball-scanning venture Worldcoin |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/spain-blocks-sam-altmans-eyeball-scanning-venture-worldcoin-ft-reports-2024-03-06/ |access-date=March 6, 2024 |website=www.reuters.com |agency=Reuters}}
• {{Cite web |last=Howcroft |first=Elizabeth |date=March 26, 2024 |title=Portugal orders Sam Altman's Worldcoin to halt data collection |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/sam-altmans-worldcoin-ordered-stop-data-collection-portugal-2024-03-26/ |website=Reuters}}

Altman has several other investments in companies including Humane, which was developing a wearable AI-powered device; Retro Biosciences, a research company aiming to extend human life by 10 years;{{Cite web |title=Sam Altman invested $180 million into a company trying to delay death |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/03/08/1069523/sam-altman-investment-180-million-retro-biosciences-longevity-death/ |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=MIT Technology Review |language=en}} Boom Technology, a supersonic airline developer; Cruise, a self-driving car company that was acquired by General Motors; and Helion Energy, an American fusion research company.{{Cite news |last=De Vynck |first=Gerrit |date=December 23, 2023 |title=OpenAI founder Sam Altman's sprawling network of investments |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/12/23/open-ai-sam-altman-investments-companies/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}

File:Sam Altman speaking at TED.jpg]]

OpenAI was initially funded by Altman, Greg Brockman, Elon Musk, Jessica Livingston, Peter Thiel, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Infosys and YC{{nbsp}}Research. When OpenAI launched in 2015, it had raised $1{{nbsp}}billion.{{Cite web |last=Olanoff |first=Drew |date=December 11, 2015 |title=Artificial Intelligence Nonprofit OpenAI Launches With Backing From Elon Musk And Sam Altman |url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/12/11/non-profit-openai-launches-with-backing-from-elon-musk-and-sam-altman/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020165718/https://techcrunch.com/2015/12/11/non-profit-openai-launches-with-backing-from-elon-musk-and-sam-altman/ |archive-date=October 20, 2022 |access-date=October 20, 2022 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} In March 2019, Altman left Y Combinator to focus full-time on OpenAI as CEO.{{Cite news |last=De Vynck |first=Gerrit |date=April 9, 2023 |title=The man who unleashed AI on an unsuspecting Silicon Valley |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/09/sam-altman-openai-chatgpt/ |access-date=April 13, 2023 |archive-date=April 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409214006/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/09/sam-altman-openai-chatgpt/ |url-status=live }} By the summer of 2019, he had helped raise $1 billion from Microsoft.{{Cite news |last=Cade |first=Metz |date=July 22, 2019 |title=With $1 Billion From Microsoft, an A.I. Lab Wants to Mimic the Brain |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/22/technology/open-ai-microsoft.html |access-date=November 18, 2023 |archive-date=November 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118081825/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/22/technology/open-ai-microsoft.html |url-status=live }}

Altman testified before the United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law on May 16, 2023, about issues of AI oversight.{{cite news |title=WATCH: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testifies before Senate Judiciary Committee |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-openai-ceo-sam-altman-testifies-before-senate-judiciary-committee |access-date=19 June 2023 |work=PBS NewsHour |date=15 May 2023 |language=en-us |archive-date=June 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619061942/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-openai-ceo-sam-altman-testifies-before-senate-judiciary-committee |url-status=live }} After the success of ChatGPT, the company's chatbot application, Altman made a world tour in May 2023, during which he visited 22 countries and met multiple leaders and diplomats, including British prime minister Rishi Sunak, French president Emmanuel Macron, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez, German chancellor Olaf Scholz, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol and Israeli president Isaac Herzog. He stood for a photo with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

{{Main|Removal of Sam Altman from OpenAI}}

On Friday, November 17, 2023, OpenAI's board, composed of researcher Helen Toner, Quora CEO Adam D'Angelo, AI governance advocate Tasha McCauley, and most prominently in the firing, OpenAI co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, announced that they had made the decision to remove Altman as CEO and Greg Brockman from the board, both of whom were co-founders.{{Cite news |date=2024-01-12 |title=Sam Altman pushed out from OpenAI for not being 'candid' with board |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/sam-altman-fired-openai-candid-board-18499330.php |access-date=2024-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112010809/https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/sam-altman-fired-openai-candid-board-18499330.php |archive-date=January 12, 2024 |last1=Difeliciantonio |first1=Chase }} The announcement cited that Altman "was not consistently candid in his communications" in a public announcement on the OpenAI blog.{{Cite web|url=https://openai.com/blog/openai-announces-leadership-transition|title=OpenAI announces leadership transition|website=openai.com|access-date=November 17, 2023|archive-date=November 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117204036/https://openai.com/blog/openai-announces-leadership-transition|url-status=live}} In response, Brockman resigned from his role as President of OpenAI.{{Cite web |last=Peters |first=Jay |date=2023-11-17 |title=Sam Altman fired as CEO of OpenAI |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/17/23965982/openai-ceo-sam-altman-fired |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117205233/https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/17/23965982/openai-ceo-sam-altman-fired |archive-date=November 17, 2023 |access-date=2023-11-17 |website=The Verge |language=en}} The day after Altman was removed, The Verge reported that Altman and the board were in talks to bring him back to OpenAI.{{Cite news |last1=Das |first1=Shanti |last2=Connett |first2=David |date=2023-11-18 |title=Sam Altman 'was working on new venture' before sacking from OpenAI |language=en-GB |work=The Observer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/nov/18/earthquake-at-chatgpt-developer-as-senior-staff-quit-after-sacking-of-boss-sam-altman |access-date=2023-11-19 |issn=0029-7712 |archive-date=November 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231119005841/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/nov/18/earthquake-at-chatgpt-developer-as-senior-staff-quit-after-sacking-of-boss-sam-altman |url-status=live }}

On November 20, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced that Altman would be joining Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team.{{Cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/microsoft-ceo-says-sam-altman-will-be-joining-microsoft-2023-11-20/ |title=Microsoft CEO says Sam Altman will be joining Microsoft |date=20 November 2023 |access-date=20 November 2023 |website=Reuters |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120083725/https://www.reuters.com/technology/microsoft-ceo-says-sam-altman-will-be-joining-microsoft-2023-11-20/ |url-status=live }} Two days later, OpenAI employees published an open letter to the board threatening to leave OpenAI and join Microsoft, where all employees had been promised jobs, unless all board members step down and reinstate Altman as CEO. 505 employees initially signed, which later grew to over 700 out of 770 total employees.{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=2023-11-20 |title=Hundreds of OpenAI employees threaten to resign and join Microsoft |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/20/23968988/openai-employees-resignation-letter-microsoft-sam-altman |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=The Verge |language=en}} This included Ilya Sutskever, who had previously advocated for firing Altman, but now had apologized stating on Twitter, "I regret my participation in the board's actions." Late in the night on November 20, OpenAI announced that they had reached an "agreement in principle" for Altman to return as CEO and Brockman to return as president.{{Cite web |last=Heath |first=Alex |date=2023-11-22 |title=Sam Altman to return as CEO of OpenAI |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/22/23967223/sam-altman-returns-ceo-open-ai |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=The Verge |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Cade |first=Metz |date=Nov 22, 2023 |title=Sam Altman Is Reinstated as OpenAI's Chief Executive |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/22/technology/openai-sam-altman-returns.html |access-date=November 22, 2023 |archive-date=November 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122061926/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/22/technology/openai-sam-altman-returns.html |url-status=live }} The current board was to resign, other than D'Angelo, who was kept to represent the views of the previous board.

On March 8, 2024, OpenAI announced that Altman would rejoin the board of directors after a review by law firm WilmerHale.{{Cite web |date=8 March 2024 |title=Review completed & Altman, Brockman to continue to lead OpenAI |url=https://openai.com/blog/review-completed-altman-brockman-to-continue-to-lead-openai |access-date=9 March 2024 |website=OpenAI}}

In May 2024, after OpenAI's non-disparagement agreements were exposed, Altman was accused of lying when claiming to have been unaware of the equity cancellation provision for departing employees that don't sign the agreement.{{Cite web |last=Getahun |first=Hannah |title=Sam Altman addresses 'potential equity cancellation' in OpenAI exit agreements after 2 high-profile departures |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-openai-nda-clause-vested-equity-ilya-sutskever-2024-5 |access-date=2024-05-19 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} Also in May, former board member Helen Toner explained the board's rationale for firing Altman in November 2023. She stated that Altman had withheld information, for example about the release of ChatGPT and his ownership of OpenAI's startup fund. She also alleged that two executives in OpenAI had reported to the board "psychological abuse" from Altman, and provided screenshots and documentation to support their claims. She said that many employees feared retaliation if they didn't support Altman, and that when Altman was Loopt's CEO, the management team asked twice to fire him for what they called "deceptive and chaotic behavior".{{Cite web |last=Lawler |first=Richard |date=2024-05-29 |title=Former OpenAI board member explains why they fired Sam Altman |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/28/24166713/openai-helen-toner-explains-why-sam-altman-was-fired |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=The Verge |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Field |first=Hayden |date=2024-05-29 |title=Former OpenAI board member explains why CEO Sam Altman got fired before he was rehired |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/29/former-openai-board-member-explains-why-ceo-sam-altman-was-fired.html |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=CNBC |language=en}}

File:The_Prime_Minister_meets_with_AI_developers.jpg meets with Demis Hassabis, CEO of DeepMind, Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, and Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. May 2023.]]Altman had contemplated running for governor of California in the 2018 election, but later decided not to enter.{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Eric |date=December 10, 2018 |title=Full Q&A: Y Combinator's Sam Altman and Recode's Kara Swisher discuss tech ethics, addiction and Facebook |url=https://www.vox.com/2018/12/10/18134926/sam-altman-kara-swisher-recode-decode-live-mannys-podcast-transcript-facebook-zuckerberg-ethics |access-date=14 December 2024 |website=Vox |publisher=}} In 2018, Altman announced "the United Slate", a political project to improve U.S. housing and healthcare policy.{{Cite web |last=Romm |first=Tony |date=July 31, 2017 |title=Sam Altman will spend big on a new political movement to fix U.S. housing, health care and more |url=https://www.vox.com/2017/7/31/16066640/sam-altman-united-slate-health-care-housing-california-2018-midterm-elections-trump |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119221420/https://www.vox.com/2017/7/31/16066640/sam-altman-united-slate-health-care-housing-california-2018-midterm-elections-trump |archive-date=January 19, 2023 |access-date=January 19, 2023 |website=Vox |language=en}} In 2019, Altman held a fundraiser at his home in San Francisco for 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and fellow tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang.{{Cite web |last=Russell |first=Melia |date=November 14, 2019 |title=Andrew Yang preached his tech-friendly gospel at Sam Altman's San Francisco house: You can't treat tech like oil companies and breaking up Amazon won't bring malls back |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-yang-talks-tech-san-francisco-sam-altman-fundraiser-2019-11 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702061954/https://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-yang-talks-tech-san-francisco-sam-altman-fundraiser-2019-11 |archive-date=July 2, 2020 |access-date=June 30, 2020 |website=Business Insider}} In May 2020, Altman donated $250,000 to American Bridge 21st Century, a super PAC supporting Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.{{Cite web |last=Tindera |first=Michela |date=May 22, 2020 |title=Silicon Valley's Sam Altman Gave $250,000 To Democratic Super-PAC Supporting Biden |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/michelatindera/2020/05/22/silicon-valleys-sam-altman-gave-250000-to-democratic-super-pac-supporting-biden/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703062136/https://www.forbes.com/sites/michelatindera/2020/05/22/silicon-valleys-sam-altman-gave-250000-to-democratic-super-pac-supporting-biden/ |archive-date=July 3, 2020 |access-date=June 30, 2020 |website=Forbes |language=en}}

Altman is a supporter of land value taxation{{Cite web |title=national land value tax FTW! |url=https://twitter.com/sama/status/1584628826734460928 |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=X (formerly Twitter)}} and the payment of universal basic income (UBI).{{cite news |last1=Varanasi |first1=Lakshmi |last2=Niemeyer |first2=Kenneth |date=12 May 2024 |title=OpenAI's Sam Altman has a new idea for a universal basic income |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-sam-altman-universal-basic-income-idea-compute-gpt-7-2024-5 |access-date=28 May 2024 |work=Business Insider}} In 2021, he published a blog post titled "Moore's Law for Everything", which stated his belief that within ten years, AI could generate enough value to fund a UBI of $13,500 per year to every adult in the United States.{{Cite web |last=Shead |first=Sam |date=2021-03-30 |title=Silicon Valley leaders think A.I. will one day fund free cash handouts. But experts aren't convinced |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/30/openai-ceo-sam-altman-says-ai-could-pay-for-ubi-experts-disagree.html |access-date=2024-02-05 |website=CNBC |language=en}} In 2024, he suggested a new kind of UBI called "universal basic compute" to give everyone a "slice" of ChatGPT's computing power.

In 2023, Altman was involved in boosting Representative Dean Phillips as he prepared a challenge to President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination.{{cite web |last1=Schleifer |first1=Theodore |date=5 March 2025 |title=OpenAI's C.E.O. Returns to Political Fund-Raising |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/us/politics/sam-altman-openai-democrat-fundraising.html |access-date=5 March 2025 |publisher=The New York Times}}{{cite web |last1=Freedlander |first1=David |date=18 January 2024 |title=Dean Phillips Met Sam Altman, Then Got Awfully Interested in AI |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2024/01/biden-rival-dean-phillips-getting-help-from-sam-altman.html |access-date=5 March 2025 |publisher=New York Magazine}}

On November 18, 2024, San Francisco Mayor-Elect Daniel Lurie named him to his transition team.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-18 |title=Daniel Lurie Names OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to His Mayoral Transition Team |url=https://sfist.com/2024/11/18/daniel-lurie-names-openai-ceo-sam-altman-to-his-mayoral-transition-team/ |access-date=2024-11-19 |website=SFist |language=en}}

In December 2024, it was reported that Altman would donate $1 million to the Inaugural Fund for President Donald Trump.{{Cite news |date=December 13, 2024 |title=Tech moguls Altman, Bezos and Zuckerberg donate to Trump's inauguration fund |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/12/13/nx-s1-5227874/trump-bezos-zuckerberg-amazon-facebook-open-ai-meta-inauguration-fund |work=NPR}}

Altman is set to host a fundraiser in San Francisco on March 20, 2025, for Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat up for re-election in 2026 in Virginia.

File:Human connection is still important to people Sam Altman.webm ]]

For eight days in 2014, Altman was the CEO of Reddit, a social media company, after CEO Yishan Wong resigned.{{Cite news |last=Acres |first=Tom |date=November 22, 2023 |title=Who is Sam Altman? The OpenAI boss and ChatGPT guru who became one of AI's biggest players |url=https://news.sky.com/story/who-is-sam-altman-the-openai-boss-and-chatgpt-guru-who-is-now-one-of-ais-biggest-players-12898698 |publisher=Sky News}}{{cite news |date=November 13, 2014 |title=A New Team At Reddit |publisher=Sam Altman |url=http://blog.samaltman.com/a-new-team-at-reddit |url-status=live |accessdate=February 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213043217/http://blog.samaltman.com/a-new-team-at-reddit |archive-date=February 13, 2015}} On July 10, 2015, he announced the return of Steve Huffman as CEO.{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Adi |date=2015-07-10 |title=Interim Reddit CEO Ellen Pao replaced by company co-founder Steve Huffman |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/7/10/8931017/reddit-ceo-ellen-pao-steps-down |access-date=2025-05-01 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}} He remained on its board until 2022.{{Cite web |last=Robison |first=Kyle |date=February 22, 2024 |title=Sam Altman is set to be one of the biggest winners in Reddit's IPO, with a stake that could be worth $435 million |url=https://fortune.com/2024/02/22/sam-altman-third-largest-reddit-shareholder-ipo/ |work=Fortune |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240223162303/https://fortune.com/2024/02/22/sam-altman-third-largest-reddit-shareholder-ipo/ |archive-date=February 23, 2024 |url-status=live}} Altman invested in multiple rounds of funding Reddit, in 2014, 2015, and 2021.{{Cite web |last=Novet |first=Jordan |date=February 22, 2024 |title=OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stands to net millions as Reddit goes public |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/22/openai-ceo-sam-altman-stands-to-net-millions-as-reddit-goes-public.html |publisher=CNBC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240312044331/https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/22/openai-ceo-sam-altman-stands-to-net-millions-as-reddit-goes-public.html |archive-date=March 12, 2024 |url-status=live}} Prior to Reddit's initial public offering in 2024, Altman was listed as its third-largest shareholder, with around nine percent ownership.{{Cite news |last=Ghaffary |first=Shirin |date=February 22, 2024 |title=OpenAI's Altman Listed as Major Reddit Shareholder in IPO Filing |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-22/openai-s-altman-listed-as-major-reddit-shareholder-in-ipo-filing |publisher=Bloomberg News |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240301184232/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-22/openai-s-altman-listed-as-major-reddit-shareholder-in-ipo-filing |archive-date=March 1, 2024 |url-status=live}}

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Altman helped fund and create Project Covalence to help researchers rapidly launch clinical trials in partnership with TrialSpark, a clinical trial startup.{{Cite web |last=Herper |first=Matthew |date=June 16, 2020 |title=Teaming tech and pharma, effort seeks to speed Covid-19 clinical trials |url=https://www.statnews.com/2020/06/16/tech-investor-covid-trials/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018203629/https://www.statnews.com/2020/06/16/tech-investor-covid-trials/ |archive-date=October 18, 2020 |access-date=October 17, 2020 |website=Stat |language=en-US}} During the depositor run on Silicon Valley Bank in mid-March 2023, Altman provided capital to multiple startups.{{cite web |last1=Krystal |first1=Hu |last2=Tong |first2=Anna |last3=Jeffrey |first3=Dastin |date=March 12, 2023 |title=Tech execs race to save startups from 'extinction' after SVB collapse |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/tech-execs-race-save-startups-extinction-after-svb-collapse-2023-03-12/ |access-date=March 12, 2023 |website=Reuters |archive-date=March 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312063721/https://www.reuters.com/business/tech-execs-race-save-startups-extinction-after-svb-collapse-2023-03-12/ |url-status=live }} Altman invests in technology startups and nuclear energy companies. Some of his portfolio companies include Airbnb, Stripe and Retro Biosciences. He is also chairman of the board for Helion Energy, a company focused on developing nuclear fusion, and Oklo Inc., a nuclear fission company.{{cite web |last1=Hiller |first1=Jennifer |title=Tech Billionaires Bet on Fusion as Holy Grail for Business |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/tech-billionaires-bet-on-fusion-as-holy-grail-for-business-9a48a2ac |website=Wall Street Journal |access-date=29 April 2023 |date=23 April 2023 |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423093938/https://www.wsj.com/articles/tech-billionaires-bet-on-fusion-as-holy-grail-for-business-9a48a2ac |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Mui |first=Christine |date=January 22, 2024 |title=Silicon Valley's crush on fusion |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/digital-future-daily/2024/01/22/silicon-valley-fusion-crush-sam-altman-davos-00137031 |work=Politico |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240401192932/https://www.politico.com/newsletters/digital-future-daily/2024/01/22/silicon-valley-fusion-crush-sam-altman-davos-00137031 |archive-date=April 1, 2024 |url-status=live}} He also an invested in Exowatt, a solar energy startup that aims to provide clean energy to data centers.{{Cite web |last=Ramkumar |first=Amrith |title=Exclusive {{!}} Sam Altman Invests in Energy Startup Focused on AI Data Centers |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/sam-altman-investment-exowatt-energy-startup-ai-data-centers-eeeca766 |access-date=2025-05-08 |website=WSJ |language=en-US}}

In March 2021, Altman and investment banker Michael Klein co-founded AltC Acquisition Corp, a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC), where he is also the CEO.{{Cite web |title=AltC Acquisition Corp - Sam Altman |url=https://altcacquisitioncorp.com/team/sam-altman/ |access-date=2024-05-05 |website=AltC Acquisition Corp |language=en-US |archive-date=May 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505203322/https://altcacquisitioncorp.com/team/sam-altman/ |url-status=dead }} In May 2024, Oklo Inc. completed a merger with the SPAC to become a public company. Altman remained as chairman of Oklo following the merger{{Cite web |last1=Field |first1=Hayden |last2=Sigalos |first2=MacKenzie |date=May 10, 2024 |title=Sam Altman's nuclear energy company Oklo plunges 54% in NYSE debut |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/10/sam-altman-takes-nuclear-startup-oklo-public-to-power-ai-ambitions.html |publisher=CNBC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517121956/https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/10/sam-altman-takes-nuclear-startup-oklo-public-to-power-ai-ambitions.html |archive-date=May 17, 2024 |url-status=live}} until stepping down in April 2025 to "avoid conflict of interest"{{Cite news |last=Muir |first=Martha |last2=Hammond |first2=George |date=2025-04-22 |title=Sam Altman steps down as chair of nuclear power supplier Oklo to avoid conflict of interest |url=https://www.ft.com/content/a511bae0-d19f-4ebd-9520-69d3f89d8556 |access-date=2025-04-28 |work=Financial Times}} and "open up opportunities for future deals between OpenAI and Oklo."{{Cite web |last=Hamilton |first=Katherine |title=OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to Resign as Oklo Chairman |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/openai-ceo-sam-altman-to-resign-as-oklo-chairman-10a53edc |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=WSJ |language=en-US}}

Altman debuted on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index in March 2024 with an estimated net worth of $2 billion, primarily from his venture capital funds related to Hydrazine Capital.{{Cite news |last1=Massa |first1=Annie |last2=Golpotthawela |first2=Vernal |date=March 1, 2024 |title=Sam Altman Is Worth $2 Billion—That Doesn't Include OpenAI |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-01/sam-altman-is-a-billionaire-thanks-to-vc-funds-startups |publisher=Bloomberg News |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240302052506/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-01/sam-altman-is-a-billionaire-thanks-to-vc-funds-startups |archive-date=March 2, 2024 |url-status=live}}

As of June 2024, Altman's investment portfolio includes stakes in over 400 companies, valued at around $2.8 billion. Some of these investments intersect with companies doing business with OpenAI, which has raised questions about potential conflicts of interest. OpenAI’s chairman of the board, Bret Taylor, maintained that Altman has been transparent about his investments.{{Cite web |last=Hagey |first=Berber Jin, Tom Dotan and Keach |date=2024-06-03 |title=The Opaque Investment Empire Making OpenAI’s Sam Altman Rich |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/openai-sam-altman-investments-004fc785 |access-date=2025-05-01 |website=WSJ |language=en-US}}

Along with Peter Thiel, Altman was an early seed investor in Minicircle, "a longevity biotech company focused on developing gene therapies to extend human lifespans."{{Cite news |last=Haskins |first=Caroline |title='Startup Nation' Groups Say They're Meeting Trump Officials to Push for Deregulated 'Freedom Cities' |url=https://www.wired.com/story/startup-nations-donald-trump-legislation/ |access-date=2025-03-20 |work=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}} He also invested in charter city projects Próspera and Praxis,{{Cite news |last=Bernstein |first=Joseph |date=2023-12-12 |title=Who Would Give This Guy Millions to Build His Own Utopia? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/12/style/praxis-city-dryden-brown.html |access-date=2025-03-20 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} which have gotten additional financial support from author and former Coinbase CTO, Balaji Srinivasan.{{Cite news |date=2023-12-04 |title=From Praxis to Prospera, Silicon Valley longs to break free |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/pixels/article/2023/12/04/from-praxis-to-prospera-silicon-valley-is-longing-to-break-free-from-countries-worldwide_6309767_13.html |access-date=2025-03-20 |language=en}} Both cities have been linked by various publications and journalists to the Network State movement.{{Cite web |last=Ropek |first=Lucas |date=2024-12-27 |title=Worst New Trend of 2024: Techno-Colonialism and the Network State Movement |url=https://gizmodo.com/worst-new-trend-of-2024-techno-colonialism-and-the-network-state-movement-2000525617 |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Gizmodo |language=en-US}}

File:Nancy Pelosi GLAAD 2017 2 (cropped).jpg presenting Altman with the Ric Weiland Award in 2017]]In 2017, Altman received an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Waterloo in Canada for supporting companies through its Velocity entrepreneurship program.{{Cite web |date=2 June 2017 |title=University of Waterloo to honour Silicon Valley leader Sam Altman |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/university-waterloo-honorary-doctorate-sam-altman-1.4143240 |access-date=22 March 2023 |website=CBC News |archive-date=March 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316232310/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/university-waterloo-honorary-doctorate-sam-altman-1.4143240 |url-status=live }} The government of Indonesia issued the country's first "golden visa", a 10-year border pass, to Altman in September 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-06 |title=OpenAI CEO Receives Indonesia's First Golden Visa |url=https://www.finews.com/news/english-news/59151-sam-altman-openai-ceo-first-indonesia-golden-visa-asia |website=Finews |access-date=October 3, 2023 |archive-date=October 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004045224/https://www.finews.com/news/english-news/59151-sam-altman-openai-ceo-first-indonesia-golden-visa-asia |url-status=live }} In 2024, Xfund awarded Altman the annual Experiment Cup at an event at Harvard University.{{Cite news |last1=Josephy |first1=Matan H. |last2=Ravi |first2=Akshaya |date=May 1, 2024 |title='That's the Miracle': OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Talks Undergrad Years, Future of AI at Harvard Event |url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2024/5/2/sam-altman-open-ai-harvard/ |access-date=May 2, 2024 |work=The Harvard Crimson}}

In 2023, Altman was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world{{cite news |date=April 13, 2023 |title=Time 100 |url=https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2023/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413151502/https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2023/ |archive-date=April 13, 2023 |access-date=April 15, 2023 |magazine=Time}} and CEO of the Year by Time magazine.{{cite magazine |last1=Bajekal |first1=Naina |last2=Perrido |first2=Billy |date=December 6, 2023 |title=CEO of the Year 2023: Sam Altman |url=https://time.com/6342827/ceo-of-the-year-2023-sam-altman/ |access-date=December 6, 2023 |magazine=Time}} He was also on the Time's list of the 100 most influential people in AI in 2023{{Cite magazine |date=2023-09-07 |title=TIME100 AI 2023: Sam Altman |url=https://time.com/collection/time100-ai/6309022/sam-altman-ai/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |magazine=Time |language=en}} and in 2024.{{Cite magazine |last=Perrigo |first=Billy |date=2024-09-05 |title=TIME100 AI 2024: Sam Altman |url=https://time.com/7012759/sam-altman-2/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |magazine=Time |language=en}} He was one of the "Best Young Entrepreneurs in Technology" by Businessweek in 2008,{{cite news |date=April 18, 2008 |title=Tech's Best Young Entrepreneurs |work=Businessweek |url=http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/03/0326_tech_entrepreneurs/source/9.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=April 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428015115/http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/03/0326_tech_entrepreneurs/source/9.htm |archive-date=April 28, 2009}} and the top investor under 30 by Forbes magazine in 2015.{{cite news |date=January 5, 2015 |title=Forbes' 30 Under 30 2015: Venture Capital |work=Forbes |editor-last=Wilson |editor-first=Alexandra |url=https://www.forbes.com/consent/?toURL=https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30/2022 |url-status=live |access-date=February 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220065135/http://www.forbes.com/30under30/#/venture-capital |archive-date=February 20, 2015}} Altman was invited to attend the Bilderberg Meeting in 2016,{{Cite magazine |date=June 9, 2016 |title=The World's Most Powerful and Secret Group, Explained |url=https://time.com/4362872/bilderberg-group-meetings-2016-conspiracy-theories/ |magazine=Time |access-date=May 26, 2023 |archive-date=June 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604145230/https://time.com/4362872/bilderberg-group-meetings-2016-conspiracy-theories/ |url-status=live }} 2022,{{Cite web |title=Participants 2022 |url=https://www.bilderbergmeetings.org/meetings/meeting-2022/participants-2022 |website=www.bilderbergmeetings.org |access-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525051855/https://www.bilderbergmeetings.org/meetings/meeting-2022/participants-2022 |url-status=live }} and 2023.{{Cite web |last=Gilchrist |first=Karen |date=May 18, 2023 |title=A secretive annual meeting attended by the world's elite has A.I. top of the agenda |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/18/bilderberg-openai-microsoft-google-join-ai-talks-at-secretive-meeting.html |website=CNBC |access-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-date=May 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523124151/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/18/bilderberg-openai-microsoft-google-join-ai-talks-at-secretive-meeting.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Skelton |first=Charlie |date=May 20, 2023 |title=At Bilderberg's bigwig bash two things are guaranteed: Kissinger and secrecy |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/20/bilderberg-meeting-group-lisbon-kissinger |access-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-date=May 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523113156/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/20/bilderberg-meeting-group-lisbon-kissinger |url-status=live }}

Walter Isaacson opined that Altman had "Musk-like intensity" and that it had been instrumental in the founding of OpenAI in partnership with Elon Musk.{{cite book |title=Elon Musk |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6_mzEAAAQBAJ |via=Google Books |section-url=https://archive.today/20240117115412/https://twitter.com/WalterIsaacson/status/1747429713788707249 |pages=240–243 |chapter=Artificial Intelligence |last=Isaacson |first=Walter |date=13 Sep 2023 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1-76142-262-1}} In late February 2024 Musk sued OpenAI and Altman, alleging they broke the company's founding agreement by giving priority to profit over benefit to humanity.{{Cite web |last=Vipers |first=Gareth |date=1 March 2024 |title=Elon Musk Sues OpenAI, Sam Altman, Saying They Abandoned Founding Mission |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/elon-musk-sues-openai-sam-altman-for-breach-of-contract-0864979d |access-date=6 March 2024 |website=Wall Street Journal}} A few days later OpenAI executives, including Altman, dismissed these claims in a blog post.{{Cite web |date=5 March 2024 |title=OpenAI and Elon Musk |url=https://openai.com/blog/openai-elon-musk |access-date=6 March 2024 |website=Open AI}} The post said that the startup received only $45{{nbsp}}million from Musk instead of his commitment of $1{{nbsp}}billion and that Musk proposed to merge it with Tesla.{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Manish |date=6 March 2024 |title=OpenAI says Musk only ever contributed $45 million, wanted to merge with Tesla or take control |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/05/openai-response-elon-musk-lawsuit |access-date=6 March 2024 |website=TechCrunch}}

Altman has been a vegetarian since childhood.{{Cite web |date=February 24, 2020 |title=Fireside Chat with Sam Altman |url=https://rescale.com/blog/fireside-chat-with-sam-altman/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220803224649/https://rescale.com/blog/fireside-chat-with-sam-altman/ |archive-date=August 3, 2022 |access-date=August 3, 2022 |website=Rescale}}

Altman is gay, and first disclosed his sexuality at the age of 17 in high school, where he spoke out after some students objected to a National Coming Out Day speaker.{{cite magazine |last=Friend |first=Tad |date=October 3, 2016 |title=Sam Altman's Manifest Destiny |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517010534/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny |archive-date=May 17, 2017 |access-date=May 17, 2017 |magazine=The New Yorker}}{{cite news |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3242681/meet-chatgpt-boss-sam-altman-whos-back-ceo-chair-microsoft-briefly-hired-him-his-openai-return-he |title=Meet ChatGPT boss Sam Altman, who's back in the CEO chair: Microsoft briefly hired him before his OpenAI return, he came out as LGBT in high school, and he splurges his millions on Tesla and McLaren |first=Lynn |last=Farah |work=South China Morning Post |date=November 24, 2023 |access-date=December 7, 2023 }} He dated Loopt co-founder Nick Sivo for nine years. They broke up shortly after the company was acquired in 2012.

Altman married engineer Oliver Mulherin in January 2024,{{Cite web |last1=Russell |first1=Melia |last2=Kay |first2=Grace |title=OpenAI CEO Sam Altman just got married |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-ceo-sam-altman-married-oliver-mulherin-wedding-2024-1 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} at their estate in Hawaii;{{cite web |title=OpenAI's Sam Altman ties knot with same-sex partner on $43M Hawaii estate |url=https://e.vnexpress.net/news/trend/openais-sam-altman-ties-knot-with-same-sex-partner-on-43m-hawaii-estate-4700419.html |work=VN Express |last=Le |first=Linh |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240115221324/https://e.vnexpress.net/news/trend/openais-sam-altman-ties-knot-with-same-sex-partner-on-43m-hawaii-estate-4700419.html |date=13 Jan 2024 |archive-date=15 January 2024 }} the pair also live in San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood and often spend weekends in Napa, California.{{cite news |last=Metz |first=Cade |date=March 31, 2023 |title=The ChatGPT King Isn't Worried, but He Knows You Might Be |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/31/technology/sam-altman-open-ai-chatgpt.html |access-date=April 1, 2023 |archive-date=May 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518205534/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/31/technology/sam-altman-open-ai-chatgpt.html |url-status=live }} They committed to giving away most of their wealth by signing the Giving Pledge in May 2024.{{Cite news |last=Valinsky |first=Jordan |date=May 28, 2024 |title=OpenAI's Sam Altman vows to give away most of his wealth through the Giving Pledge |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/28/tech/sam-altman-giving-pledge/index.html |publisher=CNN Business |access-date=June 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601101115/https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/28/tech/sam-altman-giving-pledge/index.html |archive-date=June 1, 2024 |url-status=live}}

Altman is an apocalypse preparer.{{cite web |last1=Russell |first1=Melia |last2=Black |first2=Julia |title=Inside OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's fixation on death and the apocalypse |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-pandemic-apocalypse-immortality-life-extension-openai-2023-4 |access-date=23 May 2023 |website=Business Insider |archive-date=May 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519023856/https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-pandemic-apocalypse-immortality-life-extension-openai-2023-4 |url-status=live }} He said in 2016: "I have guns, gold, potassium iodide, antibiotics, batteries, water, gas masks from the Israel Defense Forces, and a big patch of land in Big Sur I can fly to."

In January 2025, Altman's sister Ann Altman filed a lawsuit alleging sexual abuse by Altman in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Missouri in St. Louis. The lawsuit alleges that the abuse started when Ann Altman was aged three and Sam Altman was 12.{{cite web |title=OpenAI CEO Sam Altman denies sexual abuse allegations made by his sister in lawsuit |last=Field |first=Hayden |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/07/openais-sam-altman-denies-sexual-abuse-allegations-made-sister-ann.html |website=CNBC |access-date=7 January 2025}} Sam Altman, along with his mother Connie and younger brothers Max and Jack, issued a joint statement on the social media website X denying the allegations, describing them as "utterly untrue".{{Cite news |last=Partridge |first=Joanna |date=2025-01-08 |title=OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman accused of sexual abuse by sister in lawsuit |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/08/openai-chief-executive-sam-altman-accused-of-sexual-abuse-by-sister-in-lawsuit |access-date=2025-01-08 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite tweet |last=Altman |first=Sam |access-date=2025-01-09 |title=My sister has filed a lawsuit against me. Here is a statement from my mom, brothers, and me |user=sama |number=1876780763653263770}}{{cite news |last1=Hoskins |first1=Peter |title=OpenAI boss Sam Altman denies sexual abuse allegations made by sister |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz6lq6x2gd9o |access-date=January 10, 2025 |work=www.bbc.com |date=January 8, 2025}}

On February 22, 2025, Altman announced the birth of his son.Altman, Sam [@sama] (February 22, 2025). [https://x.com/sama/status/1893423520866033865 "welcome to the world, little guy! he came early and is going to be in the nicu for awhile. he is doing well and it’s really nice to be in a little bubble taking care of him. i have never felt such love."] (Tweet). Retrieved February 22, 2025 – via Twitter.

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