Asger Risom
Altman may one day lose his job to the very technology he helped unleash.
When will artificial intelligence be ready to take charge — not just as a tool, but as a CEO? Sam Altman, the man behind ChatGPT, says he’s preparing for that very moment, and even has a plan for what he’ll do when it arrives.
Waiting for his AI successor
OpenAI’s chief executive told the Conversations with Tyler podcast that he’s looking forward to the day when an artificial intelligence system can do his job better than he can.
“Shame on me if OpenAI isn’t the first major company led by an AI CEO,” Altman said, according to Business Insider.
Altman explained that he often asks himself what conditions would allow an AI system to outperform him in running the company. While such technology may still be years away, he said it’s only a matter of time before an AI can manage a major department inside OpenAI.
Thinking ahead
Altman has already considered what comes next for him personally. In an interview with Axel Springer Group CEO Mathias Döpfner in October, he revealed that he has a “backup plan” for the day artificial intelligence takes over his role.
“I have a farm where I live from time to time and I really like it,” Altman said. Before ChatGPT became a global success, he spent much of his time there “driving tractors and harvesting things.”
The OpenAI boss also reflected on AI’s broader economic impact. “In the short term, AI will destroy many jobs. In the long term, as with any other technological revolution, I assume we will find completely new things to do,” he told Döpfner.
The billionaire behind ChatGPT
Over the years, Altman has built an impressive personal fortune and property portfolio. Business Insider notes that he owns multimillion-dollar homes in San Francisco and Napa, California, as well as a $43 million estate on Hawaii’s Big Island.
Forbes estimated in April that Altman’s wealth had surpassed $1 billion — despite OpenAI not being a publicly listed company. A recent deal with Microsoft reportedly lifted the company’s valuation to $500 billion, making it more valuable than any European firm.
Sources: Business Insider, HotNews.ro, AFP/Profimedia, Axel Springer Group, Forbes.
This article is made and published by Asger Risom, who may have used AI in the preparation
