Before OpenAI, Sam Altman was fired from Y Combinator by his mentor
Claims that Sam Altman was quietly pushed out of Y Combinator years before the recent OpenAI board coup fuel broader doubts about his ethics, methods, and rapid rise to power. Commenters contrast his apparent loyalty from OpenAI staff and fundraising prowess with allegations of manipulation, “fake it till you make it” behavior, and projects like Worldcoin, while also criticizing the OpenAI board’s opaque actions and the broader Silicon Valley culture of founder worship. Many conclude that none of the major AI players — executives, boards, or big tech backers — look like trustworthy long‑term stewards of technology that could profoundly affect society.
Perceptions of Altman’s character
- Many commenters describe the OpenAI CEO as highly effective but manipulative: capable of intense loyalty one-on-one while lying or backstabbing others.
- Several recount strong “do not trust this person” gut reactions from interviews and talks, yet acknowledge he’s extremely good at fundraising, deal‑making and navigating power.
- Some argue this profile (ruthless, self‑interested, persuasive) is common among top CEOs; others see it as disqualifying when steering a technology as consequential as advanced AI.
YC firing and relationship with its founder
- The report that the YC cofounder effectively pushed the CEO out years ago surprises many, given his later public praise.
- Thread speculation: it might have been about distraction (too focused on OpenAI), conflict of interest (investing in YC companies via a separate fund), or simply outgrowing the role.
- Several note it’s possible to fire someone for fit while still respecting them and later backing them in other roles; others see the quiet rewriting of YC blog posts about that transition as suspicious.
OpenAI board coup and employee loyalty
- Commenters split on why ~95% of staff signed a pro‑CEO letter:
- One camp sees genuine loyalty, belief in his leadership, and cult‑like internal alignment.
- Another sees fear, peer pressure, preservation of equity, and preference for the “make money and ship” faction over safety‑focused directors.
- Some think the board likely moved because he tried to reduce their oversight and then lied about it; others see it as ideological (safety vs acceleration) and incompetently executed.
Ethics, “fake it till you make it,” and Worldcoin
- Old anecdotes about staging a larger office by hiring friends for a day split the thread: some call it normal startup hustle, others outright fraud that reveals comfort with deception.
- Worldcoin (retina‑scan crypto ID) is widely viewed as damning: exploitative, privacy‑hostile, and cartoon‑villainish; a minority defend it as necessary anti‑Sybil infrastructure with privacy protections.
- Allegations from the CEO’s sister about severe childhood abuse are linked; people note they’re serious but uncorroborated and largely ignored by mainstream media.
Cult of personality, power, and HN meta
- Repeated comparisons to Jobs, Musk and other “tech saviors”; many object to CEO worship and see this episode as billionaire power politics, not heroism.
- Some perceive HN and tech media coverage as skewed and easily brigaded; moderators push back, citing fatigue and “no significant new information” as reasons stories get flagged.