founders-file-logo

Sam Altman

locationSan Francisco, USA

Visionary entrepreneur leading the AI revolution. Under his guidance, ChatGPT became the fastest-growing consumer app ever, hitting 100M users in 2 months. Prolific investor with 160+ investments across AI, energy, crypto, and biotech.

InterestsInterests

AI / Machine Learning
Environmental Sustainability
Data security
Biohacking
Supersonic Travel
Entrepreneurship

Impact

500m+

Weekly Active Users for ChatGPT

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$10m

Donation to Y Combinator Research

6

Companies founded

2,000+

OpenAI Employees

8

Sectors operated in

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8

Sectors operated in

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2,000+

OpenAI Employees

6

Companies founded

$58bn

Funding raised

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90+

Early stage investments

Life Story
Background

Born & Raised

One of four siblings, Sam was born in Chicago in 1985 and raised in suburban Missouri. His mother was a dermatologist and his father a real estate broker.

Born & Raised

One of four siblings, Sam was born in Chicago in 1985 and raised in suburban Missouri. His mother was a dermatologist and his father a real estate broker.

1985
2003
2005
2014
2015
2019
2021
2024

mapWorld Map

Missouri, USA

US

Sam grew up in St. Louis, Missouri with his four siblings. His mother was a dermatologist and his father a real estate broker. 

presPress

Business InsiderBusiness Insider

Farming vs. podcast bros: Sam Altman predicts jobs will continue...

21st June 2025

Sam Altman press

FortuneFortune

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says AI can rival someone with a PhD...

20th June 2025

Sam Altman press

Financial TimesFinancial Times

Bill Gates and Sam Altman’s nuclear groups raise $1bn as investors bet

18th June 2025

Sam Altman press

ReutersReuters

Sam Altman says Meta offered $100 million bonuses to OpenAI employees

18th June 2025

Sam Altman press

International Business Times UKInternational Business Times UK

AI Agents Are Learning to Discover, But Are We Ready for It?

6th June 2025

Sam Altman press

The Record from Recorded Future NewsThe Record from Recorded Future News

Sam Altman: AI privacy safeguards can’t be established before ‘problem

6th June 2025

Sam Altman press

EntrepreneurEntrepreneur

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Says AI Agents Are Like a Team of 'Junior Employ

3rd June 2025

Sam Altman press

AP NewsAP News

OpenAI recruits legendary iPhone designer Jony Ive to work on AI hardw

21st May 2025

Sam Altman press

OpenaiOpenai

Introducing Codex

16th May 2025

Sam Altman press

Financial TimesFinancial Times

OpenAI chief Sam Altman: ‘This is genius-level intelligence’

9th May 2025

Sam Altman press

International Business Times UKInternational Business Times UK

Sam Altman Reveals Why Saying 'Please' Or 'Thank You' To ChatGPT Costs

9th May 2025

Sam Altman press

OpenaiOpenai

Evolving OpenAI's structure

5th May 2025

Sam Altman press

WSJWSJ

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to Resign as Oklo Chairman

22nd April 2025

Sam Altman press

ReutersReuters

Sam Altman to step down as Oklo chairman

22nd April 2025

Sam Altman press

OpenaiOpenai

Introducing GPT-4.5

16th April 2025

Open AI

OpenaiOpenai

Thinking with images / Introducing OpenAI o3 and o4-mini

16th April 2025

Sam Altman press

TED BlogTED Blog

What’s next for AI? A conversation with OpenAI’s Sam Altman — live at

12th April 2025

Sam Altman press

Technology MagazineTechnology Magazine

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI: Pioneering the Future of AI

8th March 2025

Sam Altman press

CnbcCnbc

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman: How I use AI in my own everyday life—it's great

13th February 2025

Sam Altman press

DecryptDecrypt

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Shares New GPT-5 Roadmap, Promises One AI to Rul

12th February 2025

Sam Altman press

MashableMashable

Sam Altman announces GPT-5 timeline update, cancels o3 as standalone m

12th February 2025

Sam Altman press

TechCrunchTechCrunch

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman admits that AI’s benefits may not be widely dist

9th February 2025

Sam Altman press

VICEVICE

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Says They’ve ‘Been on the Wrong Side of History’

3rd February 2025

Sam Altman press

FortuneFortune

Sam Altman says the kid he’s expecting soon will never be smarter than

18th January 2025

Sam Altman press

Inc.comInc.com

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Says This Will Be the No.1 Most Valuable Skill i

17th January 2025

Sam Altman press

ForbesForbes

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman: ‘We Know How To Build AGI’

6th January 2025

Sam Altman press

VarietyVariety

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Says Arrival of AI ‘Superintelligence’ Will Be ‘

4th December 2024

Sam Altman press

ReutersReuters

Exclusive: OpenAI to remove non-profit control and give Sam Altman equ

26th September 2024

Sam Altman press

FortuneFortune

Sam Altman says AI superintelligence could be just ‘a few thousand day

24th September 2024

Sam Altman press

Ars TechnicaArs Technica

OpenAI CEO: We may have AI superintelligence in “a few thousand days”

23rd September 2024

Sam Altman press

CNBCCNBC

Sam Altman says Airbnb’s CEO gave him countless hours of advice on gro

28th June 2024

Sam Altman press

NBC NewsNBC News

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says AI tools will shape the future

27th June 2024

Sam Altman press

mediaMedia

    career-milestoneCareer Milestones

    Chairman
    Oklo logo

    Oklo

    A startup developing advanced nuclear fission reactors.

    caelndar

    2024 – 2025

    Co-founder and chairman
    Tools for humanity logo

    Tools for Humanity

    A technology company built to ensure a more just economic system.

    caelndar

    2019 – Present

    CEO and co-founder
    Open AI logo 2

    OpenAI

    An AI research company that aims to develop safe and beneficial artificial general intelligence (AGI)

    caelndar

    2015 – Present

    Chairman/Executive chairman
    Helion Logo

    Helion Energy

    An American fusion research company, developing a technology to produce produce low-cost clean electric energy using a fuel that can be derived exclusively from water.

    caelndar

    2015 – Present

    Co-founder
    Hydrazine capital

    Hydrazine Capital

    A venture capital fund that invests in early-stage companies, particularly focusing on Seed and Venture rounds.

    caelndar

    2012 – Present

    Partner/President
    Y Combinator

    Y Combinator

    An American technology startup accelerator and venture capital firm which has been used to launch more than 5,000 companies

    caelndar

    2011 – 2019

    Co-founder & CEO
    loopt

    Loopt

    Location-based social networking app.

    caelndar

    2005 – 2012

    investmentEarly Stage Investments

    advisory
    Advisory & Mentoring
    Oklo logo

    Oklo

    Advisor

    calender-icon2024 – 2025

    location-iconCalifornia

    Oklo logo

    Oklo

    An advanced nuclear technology company that designs compact fast reactors.

    calender-icon2024 – 2025

    location-iconCalifornia

    Learn moreexternal-link-icon
    Helion Logo

    Helion Energy

    Advisor

    calender-icon2015 – Present

    location-iconWashington

    Helion Logo

    Helion Energy

    A fusion power company aiming to build the world's first fusion power plant

    calender-icon2015 – Present

    location-iconWashington

    Learn moreexternal-link-icon
    Y Combinator

    Y Combinator

    Advisor

    calender-icon2014 – 2019

    location-iconCalifornia

    Y Combinator

    Y Combinator

    An American technology startup accelerator and venture capital firm which has helped launch more than 5,000 companies.

    calender-icon2014 – 2019

    location-iconCalifornia

    Learn moreexternal-link-icon
    reddit logo

    Reddit

    Advisor

    calender-icon2014 – 2022

    location-iconCalifornia

    reddit logo

    Reddit

    An American proprietary social news aggregation and forum social media platform

    calender-icon2014 – 2022

    location-iconCalifornia

    Learn moreexternal-link-icon

    philanthropy-iconPhilanthropy

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