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Can Sam Altman Be Trusted?

Source: newyorker.com

TL;DR

David Remnick's newsletter previews a New Yorker profile questioning Sam Altman's trustworthiness to lead OpenAI amid AI's rise.
Ilya Sutskever's 2023 memo accused Altman of lying and misleading on safety, sparking his brief firing and reinstatement.
The investigation reveals Altman's power focus, safety backtracking, and regulatory pushback as OpenAI eyes a trillion-dollar IPO.[[1]](https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/can-sam-altman-be-trusted)

The story at a glance

David Remnick's The Daily newsletter summarizes an upcoming New Yorker investigation by Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz into Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO. It details his 2023 ouster over allegations from chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, quick return after staff and investor pressure, and ongoing concerns about his leadership. The piece is timed with OpenAI's reported preparations for a massive IPO and growing scrutiny of Altman's influence on AI safety and global power.[[1]](https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/can-sam-altman-be-trusted)

Key points

In fall 2023, Ilya Sutskever circulated a memo alleging Altman misrepresented facts, misled on safety protocols, and showed a "consistent pattern of lying."[[1]](https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/can-sam-altman-be-trusted)
OpenAI's board fired Altman in November 2023, but reinstated him days later after employees threatened mass exodus and investors warned of funding cuts.[[1]](https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/can-sam-altman-be-trusted)
Farrow and Marantz interviewed over 100 people, including Altman (more than a dozen times), board members, employees, and reviewed Sutskever's unreported memos.[[1]](https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/can-sam-altman-be-trusted)
OpenAI shifted from nonprofit (founded 2015) to for-profit; Altman has eased early safety promises while pursuing ties to Gulf states and blocking U.S. AI regulations.[[1]](https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/can-sam-altman-be-trusted)
Reports cover a secret CEO deal post-firing, limited investigation, plans to sell AI to foreign governments like Russia and China, and Altman's security clearance issues.[[1]](https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/can-sam-altman-be-trusted)
Multiple sources describe Altman's "unusually strong will to power," with one board member calling him "unconstrained by truth."[[1]](https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/can-sam-altman-be-trusted)

Details and context

The newsletter recaps OpenAI's origins as a nonprofit pledged to safe AI for humanity's benefit, contrasting Altman's early stewardship vows with recent profit-driven changes and safety retreats. Sutskever warned a board member Altman shouldn't "have his finger on the button," echoing broader doubts as AI reshapes society.[[1]](https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/can-sam-altman-be-trusted)

Farrow and Marantz's reporting uncovers internal documents and accounts painting Altman as likable yet deceptive—combining a "strong desire to please" with a "sociopathic lack of concern" for deceit fallout. This pattern, noted repeatedly, fuels questions as OpenAI builds vast infrastructure, including in autocratic states.[[1]](https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/can-sam-altman-be-trusted)

Altman told reporters he's not wealth-driven; a former employee recalls him saying, "I don’t care about money. I care more about power."[[1]](https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/can-sam-altman-be-trusted)

Key quotes

“He’s unconstrained by truth,” an OpenAI board member told Farrow and Marantz. “He has two traits that are almost never seen in the same person. The first is a strong desire to please people, to be liked in any given interaction. The second is almost a sociopathic lack of concern for the consequences that may come from deceiving someone.”[[1]](https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/can-sam-altman-be-trusted)

“I don’t care about money. I care more about power,” Altman said, as recalled by a former employee.[[1]](https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/can-sam-altman-be-trusted)

Why it matters

Altman's control over OpenAI positions one person at the center of AI's world-altering trajectory, from safety to geopolitics. Investors, users, and regulators face risks if leadership prioritizes power over transparency, especially with trillion-dollar stakes and foreign ties. Watch OpenAI's IPO progress and any board or regulatory responses, though investigations like this may not shift entrenched dynamics.[[1]](https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/can-sam-altman-be-trusted)