Sam Altman Reflects on Not Taking OpenAI Equity Earlier
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has opened up about one of his biggest professional what-ifs — not taking equity in the company he helped build. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Altman admitted that he now wishes he had accepted equity in OpenAI earlier, saying that such a move could have prevented a lot of “conspiracy theories” about his motivations.
Altman explained that his decision not to take ownership in OpenAI was rooted in the early vision of the company. At the time, OpenAI wasn’t structured to make money — it was founded as a nonprofit with the goal of developing artificial intelligence safely and responsibly for humanity’s benefit. But as the organization evolved into a more commercial model, with growing investor interest and speculation about a potential IPO, Altman’s lack of personal stake started raising eyebrows.
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He described the situation as “a crazy tone-deaf thing” meant to show that he already had enough money and was doing this work purely out of passion. But looking back, Altman acknowledged that this choice might have created confusion about his intentions and led people to believe there was something hidden behind his leadership decisions.
In his post, Altman compared his work ethic to that of an athlete or artist — someone who’s driven more by the craft and the challenge than by financial reward. “If I were like a sports star up at 5 a.m. practicing free throws, that would seem normal,” he wrote, emphasizing that his motivation comes from the love of building transformative technology rather than personal wealth.
Altman also reflected on how the journey at OpenAI has changed over the years. The early days, he said, were “unbelievably fun” — a period full of energy and discovery as the team worked on what he called “the most important scientific work of this generation.” Today, he admits it’s “less fun but still rewarding,” describing the responsibility of guiding a company that’s at the center of the AI revolution as both painful and deeply meaningful.
He also touched on the personal challenges that come with his demanding role. Since becoming a father earlier this year, Altman said that balancing work and family life has become “an extremely hard trade,” though he still feels lucky to be part of a mission that could “make a dent in the universe.”
Altman ended his reflection with a note of gratitude — both for the colleagues he works with and for the opportunity to help shape what he believes will be “the most important technology humanity has ever built.” As he put it simply, “I like having an interesting life.”
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