OpenAI CEO Sam Altman defended Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR) co-founder Peter Thiel as “one of the most brilliant people” he knows, pushing back against media characterizations following comments about human survival and recent surveillance allegations.
What Happened: Speaking during a Wednesday podcast interview with Theo Von at OpenAI’s San Francisco headquarters, Altman addressed Thiel’s polarizing public image, which intensified after a viral interview where Thiel hesitated when asked whether the human race should survive before discussing transhumanism and radical body transformation.
“I think Peter is one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever met,” Altman said when asked about Thiel’s perceived “dark lord” image. “I think he does get characterized in the media as this like evil mastermind… We’re very close friends… I don’t feel that energy from him at all.”
The defense comes as Thiel faces renewed scrutiny over Palantir’s reported role in Trump administration data collection. The New York Times recently reported that federal agencies are using Palantir’s Foundry platform to combine personal data, including bank records and medical claims, though Palantir called the report “blatantly untrue.”
Altman attributed Thiel’s controversial moments to unconventional thinking patterns. “He doesn’t have maybe the circuit in his brain that makes him immediately say yes and then say what he was going to say,” Altman explained, referencing Thiel’s hesitation about human survival. “His brain just works differently.”
Thiel’s human survival comments sparked debate when he discussed transhumanism, stating that traditional gender transitions were “pathetically little” compared to his vision of transforming “your heart and change your mind and change your whole body.” He advocated for radical body modification beyond current medical capabilities.
Why It Matters: Altman acknowledged broader AI surveillance concerns while defending his friend. “I am worried that the more AI in the world we have the more surveillance the world is going to want,” he said, noting governments may demand oversight tools to prevent AI misuse for weapons development.
Thirteen former Palantir employees signed a letter urging the company to cut ties with the Trump administration, citing concerns over potential data misuse. The Department of Government Efficiency, overseen by Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk, reportedly influenced Palantir’s vendor selection.
Researcher Mario Gabriele recently suggested that Thiel had a significant impact on influential tech leaders, including Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, by challenging their perspectives.
As per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Thiel's net worth stood at $23.5 billion. He is placed at No. 99 on the list and has seen his wealth increase by 46.2% so far this year.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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