A businessman from Pakistan has come to the defense of Sam Altman after an explosive report called the OpenAI boss a “relentless liar” and even a “sociopath”.
Waqas Ali, co-founder of Brooklyn footwear startup Atoms, shared his personal experience with Altman and offered a starkly contrasting explanation to the claims made in the detailed report The New Yorker.
Ali recalled his beginnings in the United States in 2015, when he had just moved from a small village in Pakistan to join the startup accelerator Y Combinator, then headed by Altman.
At the time, he said, many of the program’s founders were intimidated by Altman’s reputation. However, his own interaction told a different story.
According to Ali, Altman invited him to his San Francisco apartment for tea, showed him his sneaker collection, and spent time helping improve his playground. He also facilitated an introduction to investor Alfred Lin.
Ali described the interaction as warm and supportive — a far cry from the report’s portrayal.
Years later, when Ali again sought guidance in starting a new venture, Altman declined to invest but remained encouraging, he added.
The defense comes after a report by The New Yorker cited several current and former insiders who painted a disturbing picture of Altman’s leadership style.
Several sources claimed that the technical manager is “unfettered by the truth” and manipulates people to achieve his goals. One former board member reportedly described him as having a “sociopathic lack of concern” for the consequences of lying to others.
The report, based on extensive interviews, claimed that Altman balances two seemingly contradictory qualities – a strong desire to be liked and an alleged willingness to deceive.
Some insiders have also accused him of using AI security concerns as a strategic tool to gain support from engineers while privately working on those safeguards.
Divided perceptions in Silicon Valley
Ali’s account highlights a wider divide in how Altman is perceived within the tech ecosystem. While critics question his methods and integrity, supporters point to his mentorship and willingness to support early-stage founders.
Such starkly divergent stories are not unusual for high-profile leaders in Silicon Valley, where ambition, rapid growth and high stakes often blur the line between strategic decision-making and ethical concerns.
Altman, who spearheaded the global boom in artificial intelligence, remains one of the most influential — and polarizing — figures in the field.
(This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Livemint has not independently verified and does not endorse these claims.)
