OpenAI CEO Sam Altman hosted a group of reporters in San Francisco this week, offering a rare glimpse into the company’s plans beyond its latest AI model. The dinner came just days after the launch of GPT-5, a release that has drawn mixed reactions for failing to significantly outperform rivals.
Altman acknowledged the criticism, admitting OpenAI mishandled the deprecation of GPT-4o and promising smoother transitions in the future. VP of ChatGPT Nick Turley added that updates are underway to make GPT-5’s tone “warmer,” after feedback that the model felt too robotic.
Despite the lukewarm reception, demand has surged: Altman said API traffic doubled within 48 hours of GPT-5’s release, with companies like Cursor adopting it as their default. He also confirmed OpenAI has maxed out its GPU supply due to usage spikes.
But the evening underscored that OpenAI’s ambitions stretch well beyond GPT-5. Altman confirmed:
- New consumer apps: Incoming applications chief Fidji Simo (ex-Instacart) will oversee products beyond ChatGPT, potentially including an AI-powered browser and even a social media platform.
- Potential acquisitions: Altman said OpenAI would consider buying Chrome if it were truly for sale.
- Brain-computer tech: OpenAI is weighing an investment in Merge Labs, a Neuralink rival, though the deal isn’t finalized.
Altman also hinted at OpenAI’s long-term vision: a diversified tech company with bets in data centers, robotics, and energy, potentially evolving into something larger than today’s Alphabet.
While GPT-5 may not have matched the shock factor of GPT-4, OpenAI appears less concerned with model supremacy and more focused on expanding into search, consumer hardware, and enterprise software.
As Altman put it, OpenAI doesn’t want to be defined by a single product: “We’re building a much bigger company than just the ChatGPT maker.”
