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Sam Altman’s old video showing him pitching his first startup at 19 goes viral, netizens react: ‘Bro was built different’

In the now-viral video, young Sam Altman can be seen dressed in a neon pink and fluorescent green collared shirt, sharing his pitch.

The viral video shows Sam Altman breaking down various use cases of the app, using digital maps to demonstrate how users can locate friends, explore local activities, and view shared photo journals (Image source: @artificialintelligencenews.in/Instagram)

An old video of Sam Altman pitching his first startup, Loopt, has recently emerged on social media. The viral clip, believed to be from the early 2000s, features the now-OpenAI CEO presenting the concept of the location-sharing app, which he co-founded with fellow Stanford dropout Nick Sivo.

In the now-widely shared clip, the young Altman can be seen dressed in a neon pink and fluorescent green collared shirt, describing how the app works, comparing its capabilities to features now familiar through Snapchat and Instagram.

“We show you where people are, what they’re doing, and what cool places are around you. We make serendipity happen,” he says in the video.

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The video further shows Altman breaking down various use cases of the app, using digital maps to demonstrate how users can locate friends, explore local activities, and view shared photo journals. At one point, he lightheartedly illustrates the app’s social potential by joking about inviting a friend to lunch through the platform.

Watch the video here:

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The video prompted a flurry of reactions, with a user commenting, “Interesting, he was actually better at orating then. I wonder if he could choose to do less vocal fry but decides not to.” Another user wrote, “Interesting to see how the person who is giving the demo (Apparently Sam Altman Jr) is younger than the person shown on this presentation (recent pictures of Sam).”

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“When I’m 19 I hope to be using this technology to track down and delete roving enemy drones IRL with heavy fire power,” a third user reacted. “Bro was built different,” a fourth user commented.

Although Loopt had a relatively short lifespan, it reached an impressive peak of five million registered users and secured partnerships with all major US mobile carriers. The app was considered ahead of its time in terms of innovation, but the company faced ongoing challenges in generating sustainable revenue. By 2012, after raising over $30 million in funding, Loopt was ultimately acquired by Green Dot Corporation for $43.4 million.