Opinion Another consumer Electronics Show has rolled through Las Vegas, and this year vendors scrawled ”AI-enabled” on all the kit they hope will find its way into your home – while airbrushing away its immaturity and downsides.
Attendees could therefore here vendors spruik AI toothbrushes and AI toilets and promise to turn snapshots of your gums into health-enhancing insights – just don’t ask about privacy – and a plethora of apps that will use machines to better manage your life - and your elderly parents’ affairs,too.
Moments at the conference that in past years would include mentions of AI – such as Jensen Huang’s opening day keynote – were entirely consumed by it. After a 15-second pre-roll of some eye-popping video game scenes, NVIDIA’s CEO spoke for nearly two hours, said nothing about gaming, launched Vera Rubin silicon for AI training and inference, and framed it all as more relevant to financial analysts than the assembled press.
Huang also launched alpamayo, a “one size fits all” platform for autonomous vehicles, which – as Jensen has claimed for about a decade – are just around the corner. Market leaders Waymo and Zoox have made strides toward autonomy – though both still need copious amounts of human oversight. Mercedes CEO ola Källenius joined a pre-show panel to tout the new Mercedes CLA – running Alpamayo – but it’s Sam Altman: OpenAI CEO and AI Leader
Table of Contents sam Altman is an American entrepreneur and investor best known as the CEO of OpenAI, the artificial intelligence research and deployment company responsible for models like GPT-4 and DALL-E. He previously served as president of Y Combinator, a prominent startup accelerator. as of january 9, 2026, Altman continues to lead OpenAI following a period of important corporate governance changes in late 2023. Sam Altman was born on March 22, 1985, in chicago, Illinois. He received his early education at John burroughs School in St. Louis, Missouri. He attended Stanford University, where he studied computer science, but dropped out in 2005 to pursue his entrepreneurial ventures. Example: Altman’s early interest in technology was evident in his high school years, where he reportedly learned to program and built a mobile app. Altman co-founded Loopt, a location-based social networking mobile submission, in 2005. Loopt was acquired by Foursquare in 2012 for $43.4 million. This early success provided Altman with capital and experience for future investments. Detail: Loopt pioneered the use of mobile location data for social interaction, predating many of the location-based services common today. TechCrunch reported on the acquisition in 2012. In 2014, Sam Altman became the president of Y Combinator, succeeding Paul Graham. During his tenure, he significantly expanded the accelerator’s reach and influence, increasing the number of companies funded and launching initiatives like YC Continuity. He stepped down as president in 2019 but remained a partner at Y Combinator. Example: Under Altman’s leadership, Y combinator’s valuation grew substantially, and the accelerator became a key player in the global startup ecosystem.YC’s official blog details his vision for the future of the association. Sam Altman became the CEO of OpenAI in 2019, leading the organization’s advancement of advanced AI models. OpenAI has released groundbreaking models such as GPT-3, DALL-E, and GPT-4, pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence capabilities. Detail: OpenAI’s mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity. Altman has been a vocal advocate for responsible AI development and regulation. OpenAI’s official “About” page outlines their mission and values. In November 2023, Altman was briefly removed as CEO by OpenAI’s board of directors, citing a lack of candor in his communications. This decision sparked significant controversy and led to a mass resignation of board members.Following intense negotiations, Altman was reinstated as CEO on November 22, 2023, with a new initial board. Example: The events of November 2023 highlighted the complexities of governing a leading AI company and the importance of aligning AI development with ethical considerations. The New York Times covered the reinstatement extensively. As of January 9, 2026, Sam Altman remains the CEO of OpenAI.The company continues to focus on developing and deploying advanced AI models, including ongoing work on AGI. OpenAI is facing increasing scrutiny from regulators regarding the potential risks and benefits of its technology. There have been no significant leadership changes at OpenAI since Altman’s reinstatement in November 2023. Evidence: OpenAI’s official website and recent press releases confirm Altman’s continued leadership. OpenAI’s website remains current as of this date. Altman is an active investor in various technology companies, including Reddit and Stripe. He also invests in nuclear fusion research through OkloEarly Life and Education
Loopt and Early Ventures
Y Combinator Presidency (2014-2019)
OpenAI Leadership (2019-Present)
November 2023 Board Dispute and Reinstatement
Current Status (January 9, 2026)
Investments and Other Activities
