Sam Altman, born on April 22, 1985, in Chicago, Illinois, is an American entrepreneur and investor. He grew up in the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, and showed an early aptitude for computers and numbers. He attended Stanford University to study computer science but dropped out after two years to found his first company.
In 2005, Altman co-founded Loopt, a location-sharing mobile app, which was part of the first cohort of companies funded by the startup accelerator Y Combinator. Though Loopt was eventually acquired for $43 million, it was not considered a commercial success. The experience, however, provided Altman with valuable insights into the tech world.
In 2011, Altman became a part-time partner at Y Combinator, and in 2014, he was named president. Under his leadership, Y Combinator expanded significantly, investing in and nurturing many successful startups, including Airbnb, Stripe, and Reddit. He stepped down from this role in 2019 to become the CEO of OpenAI.
At OpenAI, Altman's leadership is characterized by a blend of visionary thinking and a focus on the ethical development of artificial general intelligence (AGI). He has been a prominent voice in discussions about AI's potential societal impact, advocating for both the opportunities and the risks it presents. Under his direction, OpenAI has released significant innovations like the GPT series and ChatGPT, which have brought AI to a wider public audience.
Altman's leadership style is described as empathetic and visionary. He is known for his ability to inspire teams, his commitment to long-term goals, and his focus on responsible innovation. He emphasizes the importance of data-driven decisions, continuous learning, and building a culture that values talent and inclusivity.
Sam Altman on the future of OpenAI and ChatGPT
This video is a fireside chat with Sam Altman where he discusses the future of OpenAI and the origins of ChatGPT
