'I have never felt...': OpenAI CEO Sam Altman welcomes first child, shares heartfelt post

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced the birth of his first child with partner Oliver Mulherin. He made the announcement of the birth of his baby box on X, formerly known as Twitter.

In an emotional social media post, Altman announced that his son had been born prematurely and is currently undergoing treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Even with the premature birth which brings serious health risks for many babies, Altman assured everyone that the baby was fine.

A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a specialized hospital unit designed to provide 24/7 care for critically ill newborns. It is equipped with advanced medical staff and equipment to support premature babies or those born with serious health conditions, offering intensive care tailored to their needs.


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Sam Altman welcomes first child

Altman wrote, "Welcome to the world, little guy! He came early and is going to be in the NICU for a while. He is doing well, and it's really nice to be in a little bubble taking care of him. I have never felt such love."


As Sam Altman expressed the overwhelming emotions of becoming a father for the first time. His words reflect both the joy of welcoming his newborn and the challenges of navigating a premature birth.

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In early 2024, Sam Altman married his longtime partner, Australian software engineer Oliver Mulherin. Their seaside wedding photos went viral in January, and Altman later confirmed the marriage to NBC News. Despite keeping their relationship largely private, the couple made a rare public appearance together in 2023 at a White House dinner.

Altman and Mulherin have been open about wanting children. In a September 2023 interview with New York Magazine, Altman expressed their desire to start a family soon. On the Re:Thinking podcast with Adam Grant in January, he reflected on how AI will shape future generations, noting, "My kid is never gonna grow up being smarter than AI… but also, who really cares?"

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Following the birth of their son, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella—whose company is a major OpenAI investor—offered congratulations, calling parenthood "one of life’s most profound and rewarding experiences." “My heartfelt congratulations. Parenthood is one of life’s most profound and rewarding experiences. Wishing you and your family the very best,” Nadella commented.

While Mulherin has not commented on whether he will take paternity leave, the birth comes at a pivotal time for OpenAI. The company is transitioning to a for-profit subsidiary amid legal challenges from Elon Musk. The two tech leaders have recently exchanged playful jabs on X, even joking about buying each other's platforms.