Sam Altman - Biography, Height, Weight, Age, Wife, Girlfriend, Family, Life Story & More
Full Name: Samuel Harris Altman
Popular As: Sam Altman
Profession: Entrepreneur, Investor, Tech Executive
Date of Birth: April 22, 1985
Age: 41 years (as of 2026)
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Nationality: American
Sam Altman Education
Studied Computer Science at Stanford University
Dropped out after two years to pursue entrepreneurship
Sam Altman Early Startup
Co-founded Loopt
(location-based social networking app) in 2005
Loopt was acquired by Green Dot Corporation in 2012
Sam Altman Y Combinator
Joined as a partner in 2011
Served as President
from 2014 to 2019
Helped scale startups like Airbnb, Reddit, DoorDash,
Instacart, and Twitch
Sam Altman OpenAI
Co-founded OpenAI in 2015
Became CEO in
2019
Leads development of ChatGPT, GPT-4, DALL·E, and other AI models
Oversaw major Microsoft
partnership and multibillion-dollar investment
Sam Altman Key Moment
Briefly removed and reinstated as OpenAI CEO in November 2023 after board restructuring
Sam Altman Known For
Advancing Artificial Intelligence and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)
Public advocacy for AI safety and regulation
Recognition
Named to Time
Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People (2023)
Vision
Believes AGI can significantly improve human
productivity, healthcare, and scientific discovery
Sam Altman
(born April 22, 1985, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.) is a prominent American
entrepreneur, investor, and technology leader. He is best known as the Chief
Executive Officer of OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company behind
ChatGPT, a role he has held since 2019. Altman previously served as president
of the influential startup accelerator Y Combinator from 2014 to 2019.
Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern technology, he
is often compared to visionaries such as Steve Jobs and Bill Gates
for his impact on innovation and long-term thinking about artificial general
intelligence (AGI).
Early Life and Education
Sam Altman was born in Chicago and raised in the
suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri. From an early age, he demonstrated
strong abilities in mathematics and computer science. During his teenage years,
he attended John Burroughs School, a prestigious preparatory school,
where he openly discussed issues of identity and inclusion and encouraged
greater support for LGBTQ+ students—an action later credited with creating
lasting cultural change at the school.
Altman enrolled at Stanford University, where
he studied computer science. However, he left Stanford after two years to
pursue entrepreneurship full-time. He later remarked that real-world
experiences, including playing poker with peers, taught him valuable lessons
about decision-making, risk, and pattern recognition under uncertainty.
Loopt and Early Entrepreneurship
After leaving Stanford in 2005, Altman co-founded Loopt,
a location-based social networking application that allowed users to share
their real-time location with friends. Loopt became one of the first startups
funded by Y Combinator, marking the beginning of Altman’s long
association with the accelerator.
Despite partnerships with major wireless carriers such
as Sprint, Loopt struggled to gain widespread user adoption. In 2012, the
company was acquired by Green Dot Corporation for approximately $43
million, bringing Altman his first major entrepreneurial exit.
Y Combinator Leadership
In 2011, Altman joined Y Combinator as a
part-time partner. The following year, he co-founded Hydrazine Capital,
a venture fund, with his brother Max Altman. In 2014, Y Combinator founders Paul
Graham and Jessica Livingston selected Altman to succeed Graham as
president.
Under Altman’s leadership, Y Combinator expanded
significantly and reinforced its status as the world’s leading startup
accelerator. The program supported nearly 1,900 companies, including Airbnb,
Reddit, DoorDash, Instacart, and Twitch, providing mentorship, seed
funding, and access to an elite founder network. Altman stepped down as
president in 2019.
OpenAI and Artificial Intelligence
Leadership
OpenAI was founded in 2015 as a nonprofit
research organization dedicated to developing artificial intelligence for the
benefit of humanity. Sam Altman served as a co-founder and later became CEO.
Early supporters included Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Amazon Web
Services, with initial funding totaling approximately $1 billion.
As AI research became increasingly resource-intensive,
OpenAI transitioned in 2019 to a capped for-profit model, overseen by a
nonprofit board. During this period, OpenAI formed a strategic partnership with
Microsoft, which invested billions of dollars and integrated OpenAI’s
models into its cloud and software ecosystem.
Under Altman’s leadership, OpenAI achieved major
breakthroughs in large language models (LLMs) and natural language
processing (NLP). Products such as DALL·E and ChatGPT brought
advanced AI tools to the general public and sparked global discussions about
the future of work, education, and society.
ChatGPT, Global Impact, and AI Governance
The release of ChatGPT in late 2022 marked a
turning point in public awareness of artificial intelligence. The platform
reached over one million users within days, drawing praise for its
conversational abilities while also raising concerns among policymakers
worldwide.
Altman became a leading voice in AI governance,
testifying before the U.S. Congress and participating in international
forums such as the AI Safety Summit hosted by the United Kingdom in
2023. He has consistently argued that while AI presents risks, those risks can
be managed through thoughtful regulation and long-term planning.
2023 OpenAI Board Crisis
In November 2023, OpenAI’s nonprofit board abruptly
removed Altman as CEO, citing concerns about communication and governance. The
decision triggered widespread backlash from employees, investors, and the
broader tech community. Nearly the entire OpenAI workforce threatened to resign
unless Altman was reinstated.
Within days, following intense negotiations and board
resignations, Altman returned as CEO, and a new board was appointed. The
incident highlighted ongoing tensions around AI leadership, corporate
structure, and accountability in rapidly evolving technologies.
Vision and Recognition
Sam Altman is a strong advocate for the responsible
development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)—AI systems capable
of performing tasks at or beyond human levels. He believes AGI has the
potential to dramatically improve healthcare, scientific research,
productivity, and quality of life if guided ethically.
In recognition of his influence, Altman was named one
of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2023.
Legacy
Sam Altman stands at the center of the global AI
revolution. As a founder, investor, and executive, his leadership continues to
shape the direction of artificial intelligence, startup culture, and
technological policy worldwide. Whether praised or debated, his impact on the
future of AI is undeniable.