'I feel weird about the whole thing': OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on wealth and recognition

OpenAI’s public face and co-founder, Sam Altman, is used to discussing the future of technology, but in a more personal segment of his appearance on 'This Past Weekend with Theo Von' he opened up about something far less abstract: how it feels to be recognised by strangers.

“I feel weird about the whole thing,” he admitted to Theo Von when asked how fame has affected his life. “Sometimes someone will come up to me and say, ‘You’re Sam Altman!’ And it’s like they already know so much about me. That always throws me.”

As the man behind some of the world’s most influential AI models, Altman has found himself thrust into the spotlight. Yet, according to him, the attention doesn’t sit comfortably. He expressed a preference for being around people who don’t treat him differently because of his role at OpenAI. “The fame stuff, I don’t want it. I love what I do, but I want to be around people who don’t care about all that.”

The conversation painted a picture of a CEO trying to remain grounded while steering a company at the centre of technological transformation. Despite leading a company that has reshaped how millions interact with artificial intelligence, Altman remains hesitant about the personal costs of high visibility.

He also spoke about the oddity of seeing OpenAI and its tools dominate public discourse. “We’re just trying to make something that helps people, but it takes on this huge life of its own,” he said.