Profile on Sam Altman

As a long-time fan of the Wall Street Journal, I was disappointed in the one-sided nature of the recent profile of Sam Altman. Sam’s late father, Jerry Altman, and I graduated from high school in St.Louis in 1969. While we attended rival high schools, we went on to college together at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Jerry Altman was well-liked by everyone. He was very bright, personable, and compassionate. He contributed significantly to the St. Louis community during his long career. All of which is to say that it was no surprise when I read that 95% of the OpenAI employee group and virtually all of the senior management threatened, in a signed letter, to leave OpenAI unless Altman was reinstated as CEO. This assertion of loyalty by the team flows naturally from Sam’s pedigree. 

It would have been much more convincing if the Altman piece had included direct quotes from him and others who could have shed light on why he instilled such confidence and loyalty in others. This is not the profile of someone who needs “rescuing,” nor is it one of a CEO on “probation.” What I do know is that Sam’s father would have been proud.