Sam Altman

Sam Altman is a well-known tech entrepreneur and the CEO of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. Since taking over in 2019, he has played a major role in shaping the current wave of artificial intelligence, making him one of the most talked-about names in the tech world. Before OpenAI, he was the president of Y Combinator, where he helped build some of today’s top startups. Altman is also involved in clean energy and has served as chairman of Helion Energy and Oklo (until April 2025). Known for his bold ideas and forward-thinking approach, he continues to push the boundaries of what technology can do.

Sam Altman showed an early interest in technology, which shaped his path toward becoming a major figure in the tech world.

• He was born on April 22, 1985, in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in St. Louis, Missouri.
• At age eight, he received his first computer, an Apple Macintosh, and quickly became interested in programming and computer hardware.
• He attended John Burroughs School in Ladue, Missouri, where he first spoke publicly about being gay and advocated for LGBTQ+ inclusion.
• In 2003, he enrolled at Stanford University to study computer science but dropped out after two years to focus on startups.
• In 2005, at age 19, he co-founded Loopt, his first major venture that marked the start of his tech career.

Sam Altman’s family has been part of both his personal journey and the public spotlight as his career gained global attention.

• His mother, Connie Altman, is a dermatologist, and his father was a real estate broker.
• He is the eldest of four siblings, including his sister Ann and younger brothers Max and Jack.
• Altman was in a long-term relationship with Loopt co-founder Nick Sivo. They dated for nine years before parting ways in 2012 after the company’s acquisition.
• He married engineer Oliver Mulherin in January 2024 at their estate in Hawaii.
• In February 2025, Altman announced the birth of his son.
• In January 2025, his sister Ann Altman filed a lawsuit alleging sexual abuse, which Altman and his family have publicly denied.