Person

Sam Altman

CEO of OpenAI who shaped modern AI development and commercialization, influencing AI safety and deployment policy.

Sam Altman

Video

Nationality
United States
Life
1985 – present
Roles
  • entrepreneur
  • academic
  • influencer

Sam Altman is an American entrepreneur and technology executive best known as the CEO of OpenAI, the AI research company behind ChatGPT and GPT-4. He joined OpenAI in 2015 as chairman and became CEO in 2019, leading the organization through its transition from a non-profit research lab to a for-profit entity with significant commercial impact. Before OpenAI, Altman was president of Y Combinator, the influential startup accelerator, where he oversaw investments in hundreds of companies and shaped Silicon Valley's startup culture.

Altman has become a prominent voice in debates about artificial intelligence's societal impact, advocating for responsible AI development while pushing for rapid commercialization. He has testified before Congress on AI regulation and has been central to discussions about AI safety, alignment, and the potential risks of advanced AI systems. His leadership at OpenAI during the rapid scaling of large language models has made him a key figure in determining how transformative AI technologies are developed and deployed.

Sam Altman is an American entrepreneur who studied computer science and physics at Stanford before co-founding Loopt, a location-based mobile application. He became president of Y Combinator in 2014, where he led the accelerator through explosive growth. In 2019, he became CEO of OpenAI, positioning himself at the center of AI development and policy debates.

Last updated 31 August 2026