Sam Altman tells Raj Shamani he misses anonymous coffee shop visits: ‘Now there are 2 security guards next to me’ | Trending

OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman recently appeared on Indian podcaster Raj Shamani’s show, where he opened up about how artificial intelligence can help science, India’s AI adoption, OpenAI’s company culture and more. The 41-year-old also spoke about how his life has changed since he experienced meteoric success with his startup.

Sam Altman spoke to Raj Shamani about his life before OpenAI.Although OpenAI was established in 2015, it became a household name overnight after it launched the AI chatbot ChatGPT in November 2022.

During his conversation with Sam Altman, podcast host Raj Shamani asked him how his life had changed since OpenAI.

Altman revealed that he used to be much more carefree and had more hobbies before OpenAI before OpenAI became the massive success it is today. The AI lab is currently counted among the world’s most valuable AI companies.

“I was much more carefree when we started OpenAI. I had a very easy life at the time,” Altman recalled. “I had a lot of hobbies”.

He remembered how, before OpenAI, he was available for impromptu plans on short notice. “I was like free on a random Tuesday night for dinner on short notice with my friends probably,” he said.

Sam Altman contrasted that with his life today, which follows a more strict schedule. “Now I'm incredibly precisely scheduled and I have not gotten to do anything spontaneous in a long time. And that's very sad,” he confessed.

Shamani then asked the CEO of OpenAI whether there was one particular moment when he realised that his old life is effectively over. Altman answered by talking about the one aspect of his old life that he misses — which is the anonymity that he can no longer enjoy.

“People ask me: What do you really miss about your old life?” Altman said. “The last time someone asked me that, I realized what I really miss is like going to sit in a coffee shop on a Saturday afternoon.”

He further elaborated on how, before OpenAI, he could sit at a coffee shop and catch up on emails or scroll the internet. Today, that is no longer possible as he is easily recognised and walks with security.

“I have not gotten to do that in years,” Altman told Raj Shamani.

Asked if he could not go to a coffee shop today, the CEO of OpenAI replied: “ I could do it, but there would be two security guys sitting at the tables next to me and I would not just be an anonymous person in the world.”

Sanya Jain is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times Digital. She has nearly a decade of experience in covering offbeat stories that speak to the everyday experience -- from viral videos to human interest copies that spark a conversation. Her interests stretch across business, pop culture, social media trends, entertainment and global affairs. Before joining Hindustan Times, Sanya spent two years with Moneycontrol and five years with NDTV. She holds an undergraduate degree in English literature from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and a master’s in journalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai. Sanya has a sharp eye for spotting emerging trends and finding newsworthy angles in viral content. She writes about a wide range of topics, from business leaders and social issues to everyday people and internet trends. She enjoys speaking to content creators, newsmakers and entrepreneurs and turning their experiences and stories into engaging, relatable articles.Read More