Inside the Mind of Sam Altman: OpenAI's Visionary Leader Future of Artificial Intelligence

How Getting Fired From OpenAI Taught Sam Altman the Power of 'Human Adaptability'Altman said his brief exile from OpenAI taught him a valuable lesson in perseverance through hardship. It also taught him which world leaders are good texters.

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While speaking on Redpoint Ventures investor Logan Barlett's podcast, OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman reflected on the four-day whirlwind that was his life in November 2023, when he was briefly fired (and then rehired) by his company's board of directors. He also shared how a hearty dinner helped him process the events.

Altman said that in the immediate aftermath of his firing on November 17, he received more than a dozen supportive text messages from major world leaders, including "presidents and prime ministers." At the time, Altman was too focused on getting his company back to even think about the surreal nature of his inbox.

During those four days in exile, Altman admits he was in a "crazy" and "adrenaline-charged" state, in which he was barely sleeping or eating. Even without food or sleep, that adrenaline surge kept his energy "very high, very clear, very focused."

Altman was rehired on November 21, just two days before Thanksgiving. The next day, Altman and his now-husband, Oliver Mulherin, drove from San Francisco to Napa Valley to visit family, and stopped in at Gott's Roadside, a well-loved California diner.

"On the drive up there," said Altman, "I realized I hadn't eaten in days." Suddenly, the hunger he'd been ignoring for nearly a week caught up with him. When they got to Gott's, Altman ordered four "fried, heavy entrees" and two milkshakes for himself.

The meal was incredibly satisfying, Altman said, and allowed him to relax after an incredibly stressful week. As he was chowing down, he got a text from "the president of some country" congratulating him on regaining control of OpenAI. It was only then that Altman could step back and acknowledge how strange his life has become.

Altman's takeaway from the experience? "Human adaptability to almost anything is much more remarkably strong than we realize, and you can get used to anything as the new normal, good or bad, pretty fast." The realization gave Altman hope that humanity will adapt and thrive in his AI-powered future.