OpenAI CEO Sam Altman earned $76,001 in 2023, up slightly from $73,546 in 2022, according to the nonprofit’s latest tax filings. This modest pay aligns with Altman’s earlier remarks about taking only the “minimum for health insurance.” Despite having an estimated net worth of $2 billion, Altman has said he holds no equity in OpenAI. However, reports from Bloomberg suggest there have been discussions about giving him a stake as the organization explores for-profit opportunities.
The disclosure comes during a significant year for OpenAI, which gained widespread attention for its AI tools like ChatGPT while navigating internal challenges, including Altman’s brief removal as CEO in late 2023.
Altman’s modest salary stands in contrast to the higher earnings of other OpenAI executives. Co-founder and former Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever, who played a notable role during Altman’s temporary removal, earned $322,201 in 2023, making him one of the highest-paid members of the team.
Meanwhile, Emmett Shear, the Twitch co-founder who served as interim CEO during Altman’s absence, earned $3,720 for a brief tenure from November 19 to November 29. Although Shear was in the role for just three days, his pay averaged $338.18 per day.
The filings do not mention potential equity-based earnings, which could significantly increase the total compensation for these executives.
OpenAI’s nonprofit arm reported receiving $5 million in public contributions in 2023, though the donors remain unnamed. By year-end, the nonprofit had net assets of over $21 million, a stark contrast to the $6.6 billion raised by OpenAI’s for-profit entities to fund AI development.
The nonprofit also expanded its charitable work, supporting ethics and journalism grants at New York University and funding research on AI-driven economic opportunities through Operation Hope, a nonprofit based in Atlanta. Grants were also provided to universities like Harvard, the University of Michigan, and one institution in East Asia.
These tax filings give a closer look at OpenAI’s operations during a year filled with soaring demand for its AI products and internal shifts in leadership.
