Sam Altman Sheds Light on Life Beyond GPT-5

From a Mediterranean restaurant in San Francisco with hundred-dollar fish dishes on the menu, I gaze out at Alcatraz Island. While chatting with fellow reporters, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman bursts through the door to my left. He's looking down at his bare iPhone to show us something, and an intrusive thought escapes my lips: "That's a bold move, going without a phone case."

Of course, I quickly remember that the billionaire CEO of OpenAI, who employs Apple veteran Jony Ive, values the iPhone's original design more than the thousand-dollar cost of replacing it.

"We're going to release a device so beautifully designed," Altman said, referring to the upcoming AI device from OpenAI and Ive. "If you cover it with a case, I will personally hunt you down," he joked.

Altman had invited about a dozen tech journalists to join him and other OpenAI executives for an on-the-record dinner (with off-the-record dessert). The evening generated more questions than answers.

For example, why is Nick Turley, VP of ChatGPT, graciously handing me a lamb skewer just a week after launching GPT-5? Was this meant to encourage positive coverage of OpenAI's most significant AI model launch, which felt somewhat underwhelming after years of anticipation?

Unlike GPT-4, which significantly outperformed competitors and redefined expectations for AI, GPT-5 performs roughly on par with models from Google and Anthropic. OpenAI even reinstated GPT-4o and the ChatGPT model picker after user concerns about GPT-5's tone and the model router.

As the night progressed, it became clear this dinner was about OpenAI's future beyond GPT-5. The executives conveyed that AI model launches are now less pivotal than during GPT-4's debut in 2023. OpenAI is a different company today, focused on challenging established leaders in search, consumer hardware, and enterprise software.

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OpenAI shared new details about these initiatives.

Altman stated that incoming Chief Applications Officer Fidji Simo will oversee multiple consumer apps beyond ChatGPT — ones OpenAI hasn't launched yet. Simo starts in a few weeks and may lead the launch of an AI-powered browser OpenAI is reportedly developing to rival Chrome.

Altman suggested OpenAI would even consider acquiring Chrome — a proposal likely taken more seriously than Perplexity's bid — if it became available. "If Chrome is really going to be sold, we should evaluate it," he said, before turning to the group and asking, "Is it actually going to sell? I assumed it wouldn't."

Simo might also manage an AI-powered social media app — an area the OpenAI CEO expressed interest in exploring. Altman said he finds "nothing" inspiring about current AI use on social media and is curious "whether it's possible to build a much more compelling social experience with AI."

While Turley and OpenAI COO Brad Lightcap mostly let Altman lead the conversation, enjoying wine with the other guests, Altman also confirmed reports that OpenAI plans to invest in brain-computer interface startup Merge Labs, a potential competitor to Elon Musk's Neuralink. ("We haven't finalized that deal yet, but I'd like us to.")

How closely that company will integrate with OpenAI's models and devices remains unclear. Altman described it only as "a company we'd invest in."

Following GPT-5's uneven rollout, Turley and Altman say they've learned valuable lessons.

"I genuinely thought we mishandled that," Altman admitted regarding the silent deprecation of GPT-4o. He said OpenAI will provide a clearer "transition period" when phasing out AI models in the future.

Turley added that OpenAI is already deploying an update to make GPT-5's responses "warmer" — but not overly flattering — so it doesn't reinforce negative user behaviors.

"GPT-5 was very direct. I appreciate that. I use the robot personality — I'm German, after all," said Turley. "But many users don't, and they really valued how ChatGPT would check in with them."

Striking this balance is delicate for OpenAI, especially given that some users have developed dependencies on ChatGPT. Altman said OpenAI believes less than 1% of ChatGPT users have unhealthy relationships with it — which could still mean tens of millions of people.

Turley noted that OpenAI collaborated with mental health experts to develop a framework for evaluating GPT-5's responses, ensuring the model challenges unhealthy behaviors.

That said, GPT-5 hasn't seemed to harm OpenAI's business. Altman reported that OpenAI's API traffic doubled within 48 hours of GPT-5's launch, and demand has left the company effectively "out of GPUs."

Given OpenAI's ventures into browsers, brain-computer interfaces, AI chatbots — and its investments in data centers, robotics, and energy — Altman clearly envisions a company far larger than just the maker of ChatGPT. The end result might resemble Google's parent company Alphabet, but with an even broader scope.

In the coming years, OpenAI will likely go public to meet its enormous capital needs. In preparation, I believe Altman aims to refine his relationship with the media. However, I also think OpenAI wants to reach a point where it is no longer defined solely by its best AI model.