OpenAI CEO Sam Altman calls sacrificing family for work a ‘very stupid tradeoff’
Sam Altman said fatherhood has deepened his belief that meaningful relationships should never be neglected for professional goals.
Sam Altman welcomed his first child in February 2025 with husband Oliver Mulherin (Photo: AP) OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has shared his stance on parenthood, saying becoming a parent has fundamentally changed the way he approaches both work and life. Altman welcomed his first child in February 2025 with husband Oliver Mulherin.
In an interview with Forbes earlier this year, Altman, 40, said giving up time with family and friends for productivity at work is “a very stupid tradeoff.” He stressed that fatherhood has deepened his belief that meaningful relationships should never be neglected in favour of professional goals.
Altman said sacrificing personal connections for efficiency or career gains ultimately does more harm than good, noting that becoming a parent has only reinforced that perspective. “The baseline that something has to beat for me to be willing to spend time on it is so huge now that most other things fell away,” he told Forbes.
Share
