Samuel 'Sam' H. Altman is an American businessman, the self-made billionaire CEO of OpenAI (the AI research and development company that created ChatGPT). His career is rooted in technology, venture capital, and serial entrepreneurial disruption.

Altman dropped out of Stanford University after two years. His philosophical approach centers on technological excellence, radical acceleration (driving rapid AI advancement), and long-term commitment to AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) (pioneering the next generation of computing). He is widely considered the most influential figure in the global AI ecosystem.

• OpenAI (CEO & Co-founder): The core private asset, the global leader in AI research and development (creator of ChatGPT and GPT-4).
• Y Combinator (Former President): He served as President of Y Combinator, the most influential startup incubator in the world.
• Loopt (Founder): His first successful venture, a mobile social networking application (sold to Green Dot for $43.4 million in 2012).
• Investment Strategy: His wealth is tied to his immense venture capital investments (in Stripe, Airbnb, and Reddit) and his equity in OpenAI (though most of his wealth is generated outside of his formal OpenAI salary).

Sam Altman's strategic genius was his commitment to technological vision and execution. He co-founded Loopt (which was sold in 2012). 2014: Y Combinator. He became President of Y Combinator, transforming it into a global powerhouse for startup funding. 2015: OpenAI. He co-founded OpenAI (with Elon Musk, Ilya Sutskever, and others), recognizing the structural need for a non-profit/capped-profit entity to research AGI safely.

His structural contribution is immense: pioneering the modern generative AI model (ChatGPT) that fundamentally transformed the global technology landscape. His brief ouster and reinstatement as CEO in 2023 was a pivotal moment in technology history. His wealth is secured by the colossal, future-focused valuation of OpenAI and his long-term venture capital portfolio.

Sam Altman's social impact is massive and structural, tied to OpenAI's role in accelerating the development of AI globally. His leadership at Y Combinator funded hundreds of foundational technology companies. His personal philanthropy focuses intensely on AI safety, technology ethics, and social welfare. His structural contribution is tied to his belief in technological acceleration and the profound societal impact of AGI.

His personal philanthropy supports various community and educational initiatives.

Sam Altman maintains the professional, composed style of a technology executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects serious authority and intellectual depth, typical of a pioneer in the specialized AI sector.

Residing in San Francisco, California, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to technology innovation, strategic management, and AGI research.