OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and his husband have joined the ranks of billionaires who have signed the Giving Pledge, a charitable initiative that encourages the ultra-wealthy to donate a significant portion of their wealth to philanthropic causes. In a letter released recently, Altman and his husband, Oliver Mulherin, expressed gratitude for the societal support that enabled their success and pledged to give back to help elevate others.
Altman, whose net worth is estimated to be at least $2 billion, amassed his wealth primarily through investments in startups, including a notable stake in Reddit. Notably, Altman does not hold a stake in OpenAI, the prominent tech company known for its advancements in artificial intelligence.
The Giving Pledge, established in 2010 by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda French Gates, aims to encourage the world's wealthiest individuals to commit to donating at least half of their fortunes to charitable causes either during their lifetimes or in their wills. While the pledge is not legally binding, it serves as a moral commitment to inspire philanthropy and social impact.
Currently, over 245 couples and individuals from 30 countries have pledged their support to the initiative. In a related development, Melinda French Gates, a prominent philanthropist and one of the world's wealthiest individuals, announced a $1 billion donation through 2026 to advance women's rights globally through her organization, Pivotal Ventures.
French Gates recently stepped down from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation following her divorce from Bill Gates, receiving a substantial sum of $12.5 billion from the foundation as part of their divorce settlement to support her ongoing philanthropic endeavors.
