OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has credited Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky for playing a crucial role in the rapid growth of their company. Altman revealed during an interview at the Aspen Ideas Festival that Chesky provided valuable guidance as OpenAI expanded following the success of their product, ChatGPT. Altman highlighted Chesky’s hands-on approach and practical advice as key factors in OpenAI’s development.
Chesky spent hours every week with Altman, providing him with tasks and areas to focus on. Altman shared, Brian was the person who would just sit down with me, for like three hours every other week, and give me a list and say, ‘Here’s the five things you got to do now. Here’s where you’re behind, here’s what you’re screwing up, here’s what you got to proactively do, here’s what you got to think about.’
Upon launching ChatGPT publicly, it quickly gained over one million users within five days. By January 2023, the product had reached 100 million monthly active users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Altman expressed his gratitude towards Chesky, calling him a trusted advisor whose advice was usually right, leading him to always follow it.
Chesky’s mentorship extended beyond operational advice to strategic decisions like hiring and company strategy. Recently, he urged Altman to consider the political implications of OpenAI’s generative AI technology more deeply. Altman admitted his oversight in this area, acknowledging that he had underestimated the political consequences of their AI technology.
Chesky’s guidance has proven invaluable to OpenAI’s growth and development, with Altman attributing much of their success to his advice and mentorship. The collaborative efforts between Altman and Chesky have propelled OpenAI to new heights, solidifying their position as a leader in artificial intelligence technology.
