Sam Altman co-founded OpenAI in 2015 as a nonprofit research lab and previously served as the president of Y Combinator until 2019.

Initially, OpenAI did not foresee the need for significant capital or commercial products, but this perspective shifted dramatically following the success of ChatGPT.

In October 2024, OpenAI raised $6.6 billion in funding, boosting its valuation to $157 billion and expanding its workforce by over 1,000 employees this year.

Altman faced a brief ousting from his CEO position in 2023 due to internal disputes, but he was rehired by the board within a week.

Despite some challenges, Altman described OpenAI's partnership with Microsoft as largely positive, highlighting aligned priorities.

He praised OpenAI's new internet search tool as his favorite product, noting its transformative impact on his internet usage.

Amid ongoing discussions about copyright and fair use, Altman emphasized the need for new economic models to fairly compensate creators for their work utilized in AI.

He assured that ChatGPT is now widely regarded as acceptably safe and robust by society, underlining OpenAI's commitment to safety.

Looking ahead, Altman predicts significant advancements in AI, including the emergence of artificial general intelligence (AGI) by 2025.

He believes that while AGI will initially have minimal impact, it will ultimately lead to substantial changes and job displacement.

Altman expressed sadness over Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI, which alleges breach of contract regarding its nonprofit mission, and acknowledged potential competition from Musk's new AI venture, xAI.

OpenAI is currently navigating various legal challenges, including a lawsuit from the New York Times over alleged copyright infringement related to AI training data.