SAN FRANCISCO - Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT creator OpenAI, has become a billionaire, Forbes said April 8.

Altman, who became the face of the global AI frenzy when his company released ChatGPT in 2022, cracked the magazine’s list of billionaires in the 2,692nd position.

The financial news outlet said that Altman’s wealth came mainly from his investments in startups, such as Reddit, which was recently floated on the New York stock exchange, and payments company Stripe, which is currently estimated to be worth US$65 billion (S$87.62 billion).

The 38-year-old has also invested in more recent ventures, such as nuclear energy company Helion and longevity startup Retro Biosciences.

His fortune, which includes prime real estate in California and Hawaii, was estimated using public filings and investigative reporting, Forbes said.

Altman has insisted that he does not own equity in OpenAI, a company that has made him almost a household name and is estimated to be worth about $80 billion.

Last week, Taylor Swift was also officially named a member of the Forbes billionaires list, with an estimated US$1.1 billion fortune. AFP