Sam Altman Interview: OpenAI CEO’s Plans for ChatGPT, Fusion and Trump
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has admitted that the launch of GPT-5 didn’t go as planned. After widespread backlash from users who said the new model felt “cold” and impersonal, OpenAI quickly reinstated GPT-4o as an option.
Altman was unusually candid during a dinner with reporters, saying, “I think we totally screwed up some things on the rollout.”
Why GPT-5 Sparked Backlash
Unlike typical software controversies, the issue wasn’t technical glitches—it was personality. Users complained that GPT-5 sounded harsh, robotic, and lacked the “warmth” of GPT-4o. Some even compared it to losing a friend overnight.
The reaction was so strong it spilled onto Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), and even betting markets, where one trader made $10,000 by wagering that Google’s Gemini would outperform GPT-5.
Within days, OpenAI backtracked, bringing back GPT-4o. Altman said the incident was a wake-up call about the risks of rolling out major changes to hundreds of millions of users at once.
Altman’s Vision: Trillions in Data Centers
But Altman isn’t just apologizing—he’s also thinking big. He revealed that OpenAI expects to spend trillions of dollars on data centers in the near future to keep up with ChatGPT’s explosive growth.
- ChatGPT is now the fifth most-visited website in the world.
- Altman wants it to surpass Instagram and Facebook, aiming for billions of daily users.
- The challenge? A shortage of GPUs and energy supply, which are critical to scaling more advanced models.
He explained that OpenAI already has models better than GPT-5 but can’t release them widely because of limited hardware.
Beyond ChatGPT: Brain Tech, Social Media, and Chrome?
Altman also teased OpenAI’s ambitions beyond chatbots:
- A brain-computer interface project to compete with Elon Musk’s Neuralink.
- Interest in acquiring Google Chrome, if regulators ever force a divestment.
- The possibility of an AI-driven social network.
At the same time, Altman admitted that the AI industry may be in a bubble: “Are investors overexcited about AI? Yes. Is AI still the most important thing to happen in a very long time? Also yes.”
The Takeaway
OpenAI’s rocky GPT-5 launch shows how much people have come to rely on ChatGPT—not just as a tool, but as a companion. While Altman owns up to mistakes, his vision for the future makes one thing clear: the AI race is no longer just about smarter software—it’s about building the massive infrastructure to support it.
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