The Optimist

Keach Hagey

Language: English

Published: Apr 18, 2025

Description:

"The first major biography of tech's newest titan, this sets a high bar for those to follow."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"An exemplary blend of biography, financial technology reportage, and futurology."—Kirkus, starred review

From an acclaimed Wall Street Journal reporter comes the first biography of the enigmatic leader of the AI revolution, charting his ascent within the tech world as well as his ambitions for this powerful new technology.

On November 30, 2022, OpenAI released ChatGPT, a chatbot that captivated the world with its uncanny ability to hold humanlike conversations. Not even a year later, on November 17, 2023, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, was summarily fired on a video call by the company's board. The firing made headlines around the globe: OpenAI is the leader in the race to build AGI—artificial general intelligence, or AI that can think like a human being—and Altman is the most...