Sam Altman was born on April 22, 1985, which makes him 41 years old as of May 2026.[1][2] He was born in Chicago, grew up mainly in the St. Louis suburbs, studied computer science at Stanford, left college to build Loopt, then became president of Y Combinator before becoming OpenAI CEO in 2019.[1][2] On religion, the most supportable public description is that Altman is Jewish: Reuters quoted him saying “I am jewish” in January 2024, and TIME reported that he grew up in a middle-class Jewish family.[6][3] This guide separates documented biography from looser assumptions about background, identity, and observance.
How old is Sam Altman?
Sam Altman was born on April 22, 1985, in Chicago.[1][2] As of May 2026, he is 41 years old. His 41st birthday was April 22, 2026, and he turns 42 on April 22, 2027.
The least ambiguous way to state his age is to start with the birth date, then give the age for the current period. Age summaries often go stale immediately after a birthday, so any page that still says Altman is 40 after April 22, 2026, is out of date.[1][2]
If you want a broader career overview, see Sam Altman Biography, which covers the Y Combinator and OpenAI years in more depth.
Where Sam Altman is from
Altman was born in Chicago, but major profiles place his upbringing mainly in the St. Louis area.[1][2][3] Biography.com says he primarily grew up in St. Louis after his family moved there during his childhood.[2] Britannica says he moved as a young boy to the suburbs of St. Louis.[1] TIME describes him as growing up in a middle-class Jewish family in the suburbs of St. Louis.[3]
Public profiles also agree on the broad family setting. Biography.com identifies his mother as a dermatologist and his father as a real estate broker, while TIME similarly describes a dermatologist mother and real-estate-broker father and says he was the eldest of four children.[2][3]
That background is useful context, but it should not be overread. The reliable summary is simple: Altman’s origin story is Chicago by birth, suburban St. Louis by upbringing, then Stanford and Silicon Valley by education and career.
Education and early tech life
Altman attended John Burroughs School in the St. Louis area and later enrolled at Stanford University to study computer science.[1][2][3] He did not finish his Stanford degree. Multiple biographies say he left after about two years and founded Loopt in 2005.[1][2]
Several mainstream profiles also report that Altman was openly gay from his teenage years. Britannica says he came out at school and pushed for “Safe Space” placards in support of gay students.[1] TIME reports that he gave a speech at his high school after some students objected to a National Coming Out Day speaker.[3] In this biography context, that detail matters only insofar as it shows he had a public identity and willingness to challenge institutions before he became known for startups or AI. It should not be treated as a separate curiosity detached from the rest of his life.
The early pattern is consistent across sources: he was technically inclined, comfortable with public argument, and willing to leave a conventional path when he saw a faster route. Those traits later reappear in the Loopt, Y Combinator, and OpenAI chapters of his career.[1][2][3]
Career before OpenAI
Before OpenAI, Altman was best known in startup circles for founding Loopt and then running Y Combinator. Britannica says he founded Loopt in 2005 after leaving Stanford, and that Green Dot acquired the company in 2012 for $43 million.[1] Britannica also says he started working part-time as a Y Combinator partner in 2011 and became its president in 2014.[1]
The Y Combinator period is central to Altman’s background because it explains how he entered OpenAI with deep ties across Silicon Valley. By then, he was not just a founder; he was a startup advisor, investor, and connector of founder networks.[1] For more context on that ecosystem, see OpenAI History, OpenAI CTO and Leadership Team, and the Sam Altman vs. Elon Musk breakdown.
OpenAI’s founding post says the organization launched in December 2015 and named Sam Altman and Elon Musk as co-chairs.[4] Britannica says Altman became OpenAI’s CEO in 2019.[1] OpenAI’s structure page identifies him as CEO and a member of the OpenAI Foundation board.[5]
The shortest accurate timeline is:
- Born in 1985 in Chicago; raised largely around St. Louis.[1][2]
- Studied computer science at Stanford, then left in 2005.[1][2]
- Co-founded Loopt in 2005; company sold in 2012 for $43 million.[1]
- Became Y Combinator president in 2014.[1]
- Co-chaired OpenAI at its 2015 launch.[4]
- Became OpenAI CEO in 2019 and remains identified by OpenAI as CEO as of May 2026.[1][5]
What is Sam Altman’s religion?
The most defensible public answer is that Sam Altman is Jewish, or publicly identifies as Jewish.[6][3] Reuters quoted him in January 2024 saying, “I am jewish,” in a post about antisemitism and the treatment of Muslim and Arab colleagues in tech.[6] TIME separately reported that he grew up in a middle-class Jewish family in the St. Louis suburbs.[3]
That does not mean public sources establish every detail of his religious practice. The reporting is strong on family background and self-identification, but thin on denomination, synagogue membership, or day-to-day observance. So if the question is “Is Sam Altman Jewish?” the answer is yes, based on his own public statement and mainstream profiles.[6][3] If the question is “How religious is he?” the available public record does not support a confident answer.
The clean evidence split is:
- Documented: Jewish family background and public Jewish self-identification.[3][6]
- Not well documented: denominational affiliation, synagogue membership, or regular public religious practice.[3][6]
That distinction keeps the answer useful without turning a background page into speculation about private belief.
Sam Altman background quick facts
| Topic | Best-supported answer | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Age as of May 2026 | 41.[1][2] | Born April 22, 1985; turned 41 on April 22, 2026.[1][2] |
| Birthplace | Chicago, Illinois.[1][2] | Most profiles agree on this point.[1][2] |
| Where he grew up | Primarily the St. Louis suburbs.[1][2][3] | Born in Chicago, raised mainly in Missouri.[1][2] |
| Education | John Burroughs School; Stanford computer science, no degree.[1][2] | Left Stanford after about two years.[1][2] |
| First major company | Loopt, founded in 2005.[1] | Acquired by Green Dot in 2012 for $43 million.[1] |
| Pre-OpenAI role | President of Y Combinator from 2014 to 2019.[1] | Also worked as a YC partner before that.[1] |
| OpenAI role | Co-chair at launch in 2015; CEO since 2019.[4][1] | OpenAI’s structure page lists him as CEO and on the foundation board.[5] |
| Religion | Jewish background; publicly identifies as Jewish.[6][3] | Public sources are limited on present religious practice.[3][6] |
Why people search Sam Altman’s background
Readers usually search “Sam Altman age, background, and religion” for three reasons. They want a quick bio of one of the most visible executives in AI; they want to understand how a former startup founder and Y Combinator leader ended up running OpenAI; or they are trying to separate fact from rumor about his personal life and beliefs.
The first two questions are easier because the public record is fairly strong. His birthplace, age, schooling, Loopt years, Y Combinator years, and OpenAI titles are covered by mainstream biographies or OpenAI’s own materials.[1][2][4][5] The religion question requires more care because internet summaries often blur family background, cultural identity, and religious practice into one label.
For that reason, this guide keeps the wording narrow: Altman’s documented background is Midwestern, technical, startup-focused, and publicly Jewish.[1][2][3][6] Claims beyond that should be tied to specific sources rather than inferred from a surname, family history, or online repetition.
If you are researching the person rather than just the quick facts, these related reads may help: Sam Altman Wife and Personal Life, Sam Altman Net Worth, OpenAI’s Ownership Structure Explained, and OpenAI and Microsoft.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Sam Altman right now?
As of May 2026, Sam Altman is 41 years old.[1][2] He was born on April 22, 1985, turned 41 on April 22, 2026, and turns 42 on April 22, 2027.
Where did Sam Altman grow up?
He was born in Chicago, but mainstream profiles say he grew up mainly in the St. Louis suburbs.[1][2][3] That Midwestern upbringing appears in most serious biographies of Altman.[1][3]
Did Sam Altman go to Stanford?
Yes. He studied computer science at Stanford University.[1][2] He later left college and founded Loopt in 2005 rather than finishing the degree.[1][2]
What did Sam Altman do before OpenAI?
He co-founded Loopt, then became a partner at Y Combinator and later served as YC president from 2014 to 2019.[1] OpenAI’s founding post also identifies him as one of the organization’s original co-chairs in 2015.[4]
Is Sam Altman Jewish?
Yes, that is the best-supported public answer. Reuters quoted Altman saying “I am jewish” in January 2024, and TIME reported that he grew up in a middle-class Jewish family.[6][3]
Do public sources say how religious Sam Altman is?
Not in much detail. Public reporting supports his Jewish background and self-identification, but it is limited on questions like denomination or regular practice.[3][6] When sources are thin, it is better to say that plainly than to guess.