Sources: Sam Altman has excluded OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar from some key financial meetings; Friar began reporting to Fidji Simo instead of the CEO in August 2025 (The Information)
Why it matters: OpenAI's internal power dynamics are shifting as Sam Altman plans a $600 billion spending spree over five years.
- Sam Altman has excluded OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar from some key financial meetings (The Information).
- Sarah Friar began reporting to OpenAI COO Fidji Simo instead of CEO Sam Altman in August 2025 (The Information).
- Sam Altman has committed OpenAI to spend $600 billion in the next five years and privately expressed a desire to take the company public (The Information).
- Interviews with Sam Altman and over 100 people reveal conflicting views on his trustworthiness, with some defending him and others calling him a sociopath amid allegations of persistent lying (New Yorker via TechMeme).
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly sidelined CFO Sarah Friar from crucial financial discussions, coinciding with her reporting structure shifting from Altman to COO Fidji Simo in August 2025, according to The Information. This internal friction comes as Altman commits OpenAI to an ambitious $600 billion spending spree over five years, while external reports from The New Yorker highlight ongoing debates about his trustworthiness, with some sources defending him and others labeling him a sociopath.
