9 unknown facts about Sam Altman, the visionary behind OpenAI

He became the president of Y Combinator at 25

Y Combinator is one of the most prestigious and influential startup accelerators in the world, having helped launch companies like Airbnb, Dropbox, Reddit, Stripe, and many more. Altman joined Y Combinator as a partner in 2009, after graduating from Stanford and selling Loopt. He quickly rose to prominence as a mentor and investor, and in 2014, he was appointed as the president of Y Combinator, succeeding its founder Paul Graham. Altman oversaw the growth and expansion of Y Combinator, supporting hundreds of startups and increasing its funding and valuation. He stepped down as president in 2019, but remains a chairman and advisor.

He has invested in some of the biggest names in tech

Altman has a knack for spotting and backing promising startups, especially those that are tackling hard problems and creating positive impact. He has personally invested in more than 100 companies, according to Crunchbase, including Airbnb, Reddit, Dropbox, Stripe, ZenPayroll, Asana, Instacart, Coinbase, and many more. His portfolio is estimated to be worth over $500 million, making him one of the richest and most successful angel investors in Silicon Valley.

He is a little bit scared of AI

Altman is also aware of the potential dangers and challenges of AI technology, especially if it falls into the wrong hands or becomes uncontrollable. In an interview with ABC News in 2020, he said that he was “a little bit scared” of AI, and that he worried about “authoritarian regimes” developing competing AI technology.

He was featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list

Altman’s achievements and contributions have not gone unnoticed by the media and the public. In 2015, he was named one of the Forbes 30 Under 30 in venture capital, a list that recognises the most influential and innovative young entrepreneurs and investors in various fields.

He likes racing cars and flying planes

Altman is not only a tech enthusiast, but also an adrenaline junkie. He has a passion for racing cars and flying planes, hobbies that he enjoys whenever he has some free time. He once told two YC founders that he had five cars, including two McLarens and an old Tesla, and that he liked renting planes and flying them all over California. He also said that he had a pilot license since he was 17.

He preps for survival

Altman may be optimistic about the future of humanity and technology, but he is also prepared for the worst-case scenarios. He once told the founders of the startup Shypmate that he preps for survival, and that he had guns, gold, potassium iodide, antibiotics, batteries, water, gas masks from the Israeli Defense Force, and a big patch of land in Big Sur he can fly to. He also said that he feared three possible threats: a lethal synthetic virus, AI attacking humans, or nuclear war. “I try not to think about it too much,” Altman said.

He co-founded OpenAI with Elon Musk

Altman and Musk share a common vision of creating artificial intelligence that can benefit humanity without causing harm or being controlled by a few. In 2015, they co-founded OpenAI, a non-profit artificial intelligence company that aims to make sure AI doesn’t wipe out humans. “We discussed what is the best thing we can do to ensure the future is good?” Musk told The New York Times in 2015. “We could sit on the sidelines or we can encourage regulatory oversight, or we could participate with the right structure with people who care deeply about developing A.I. in a way that is safe and is beneficial to humanity.”

He secured a $1 billion investment from Microsoft for OpenAI

Altman’s leadership and vision for OpenAI have attracted the attention and support of one of the biggest tech giants in the world: Microsoft. In 2019, Altman flew to Seattle to meet with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, where he demonstrated OpenAI’s AI models for him. After that, OpenAI received a $1 billion investment from Microsoft, giving it access to Microsoft’s cloud computing platform and resources.