CEO of OpenAI
Sam Altman
The OpenAI chief executive who oversaw the launch of ChatGPT
- Born1985
- CompanyOpenAI
- RoleCEO since 2019
Photo: 首相官邸ホームページ / Office of the Prime Minister of Japan Official Website, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Quick answers
The facts people search for most about Sam Altman, each with its source. Checked October 31, 2026.
- Age
How old is Sam Altman?
41 years old1
Sam Altman is 41 years old. He was born on April 22, 1985, in Chicago.
- OpenAI
When did Sam Altman become CEO of OpenAI?
20191
He co-founded OpenAI in 2015 and became CEO in 2019. He oversaw the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022.
- Fired
Why was Sam Altman fired in 2023?
“Not consistently candid”1
In November 2023 OpenAI’s board removed him, saying he had not been “consistently candid.” After backlash from employees and investors he was reinstated five days later with a new board.
- Husband
Is Sam Altman married?
Yes, to Oliver Mulherin1
He married Oliver Mulherin in January 2024 in Hawaii.
- Wikipedia: Sam Altman, revision of Oct 31, 2026
Quick Profile
- Known for: CEO of OpenAI
- Born: April 22, 1985, Chicago
- Before OpenAI: Co-founded Loopt; president of Y Combinator (2014–2019)
- Education: Stanford University (left after two years)
Find Them On
Career Highlights
- Sam Altman is an American entrepreneur and investor who has been CEO of OpenAI since 2019.
- He left Stanford after two years to co-found Loopt, a location-sharing app that Green Dot bought for $43.4 million in 2012. He joined Y Combinator in 2011 and was its president from 2014 to 2019.
- He co-founded OpenAI in 2015 and oversaw the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022. In November 2023 the board ousted him; he was back five days later.
- He has invested in more than 400 companies, including Reddit, Worldcoin, Helion Energy and Instacart.
- He attended the John Burroughs School, a private school in Ladue, Missouri, before going to Stanford.
- In February 2014 he succeeded his mentor Paul Graham as president of Y Combinator. He left YC in March 2019 to work full time as CEO of OpenAI.
- For eight days in 2014 he was CEO of Reddit after Yishan Wong resigned, and he stayed on its board until 2022.
- He is chairman of Helion Energy, a nuclear fusion company, and in 2019 he co-founded Tools for Humanity, the company behind the Worldcoin project.
- On May 16, 2023, he testified about AI oversight before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law.
- He and his husband, Oliver Mulherin, signed the Giving Pledge in May 2024.
On MyShowNotes
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FAQ
Who is Sam Altman?
Sam Altman is an American entrepreneur and investor who has been CEO of OpenAI since 2019.
Where does Sam Altman come up on MyShowNotes?
0 episode so far. See the list above.