OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, a prominent figure in Silicon Valley for over a decade, testified before a US Senate Judiciary Committee panel on Tuesday. Altman stated that artificial intelligence (AI) could be at a “printing press” moment, which would make him one of its main pioneers. He believes that technological progress in the next 100 years will far exceed all the progress made since the invention of fire and the wheel.
Altman’s Background
Altman was born in 1985 and grew up in a St. Louis suburb. He received his first computer at the age of eight, which helped him navigate being gay in a conservative part of the country. Altman dropped out of Stanford University to start Loopt, a smartphone app that allowed users to selectively share their whereabouts. In 2012, Loopt was acquired in a deal worth $43.4 million, securing Altman’s place in Silicon Valley.
Altman’s Work in AI and Political Advocacy
In 2015, Altman co-founded OpenAI, a research company focused on building generative AI that benefits humanity. Altman became president of Y Combinator in 2014, which provides guidance and funding to startups. During his time at Y Combinator, Altman expanded the company’s strategy for investing beyond software startups to biotech, energy, and other fields.
In addition to his work in AI, Altman has also been involved in political advocacy. He backed a “United Slate” political project in 2018 aimed at improving housing and healthcare policy and held a fundraising event for 2020 US presidential candidate Andrew Yang, who advocated for universal basic income. Altman has proposed combining AI, robotics, and cost-free energy to enable machines to do all the work and provide a basic income to adults across society.
Altman’s Optimism and Future Plans
Altman is a “prepper” who has preparations and supplies in place to survive an apocalyptic disaster. He has spoken of owning high-performance sports cars and renting planes to fly around California. Altman writes a list of things he wants to accomplish in the year ahead every December. His personal investments include startups working on fusion energy and human life extension.
Despite the potential risks of AI, Altman remains optimistic about its potential to benefit humanity. He believes that technology can create more wealth, and policy can fairly distribute it. Altman’s vision for the future involves a world where everything necessary is cheap, and everyone has enough money to afford it.
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