Sam Altman fears World War III more than a rogue AI apocalypse, reveals his safety plan amid ‘people dropping bombs again'
In a world increasingly overshadowed by geopolitical tremors, even the architects of our digital future are preparing for a very analog threat—war. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI and the public face behind ChatGPT, has admitted that his home is fortified with a reinforced underground basement, hinting at anxieties far beyond the realm of artificial intelligence.
Altman made the revelation during a recent appearance on comedian Theo Von's podcast This Past Weekend , where a casual question about bunkers turned into a surprisingly candid confession. 'I have, like, underground concrete, heavy reinforcement basements,' Altman said, though he was quick to clarify, 'but I don't have something I would call a bunker.'
Von, not missing a beat, quipped, 'That's a bunker, dude.' Altman responded with a rhetorical grin: 'What is the difference between a basement and a bunker?' Von's answer: 'A place you can hide when it all goes off or whatever.'
Interestingly, Altman emphasized that his concerns aren't rooted in AI-driven doom scenarios—a frequent trope in media and sci-fi—but rather in the very real geopolitical volatility unfolding across the globe. 'I have been thinking, actually, that I should really do a good version of one of those [bunkers],' he added. 'Not because of AI but just because, like, people are dropping bombs in the world again.'
His statement echoes a broader unease shared by many in Silicon Valley. Reports of billionaires quietly preparing for societal breakdown have become increasingly common. From remote New Zealand hideaways to Hawaiian shelters, elite tech figures are investing in contingency plans. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, for instance, reportedly has a 'little shelter' on his island property, though, like Altman, he has avoided the full 'bunker' label.
Altman's caution doesn't stand alone even within OpenAI. In Empire of AI , a new exposé by journalist Karen Hao, OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever is quoted referencing a company bunker—seriously or not, it's unclear. During a 2023 meeting, Sutskever reportedly said: 'Once we all get into the bunker…' prompting confusion among scientists. When questioned, he clarified, 'We're definitely going to build a bunker before we release AGI.' AGI—Artificial General Intelligence—is the next frontier in AI development, often described as surpassing human cognitive capabilities. Though it's a concept rooted in speculation, the concern around its release and implications remains real for those shaping the field.
Despite being one of the most influential voices in the AI revolution, Altman's reinforced basement tells a more primal story—of a man aware that for all the machines he builds, the human world remains deeply unstable.
NATO has scrambled jets in recent months, global conflict zones are multiplying, and headlines increasingly resemble those of a Cold War redux. In such a climate, Altman's 'not-a-bunker' might say more about our times than about him.
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