Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has been at the center of several extraordinary events in recent years, from the release of ChatGPT to his brief ousting and subsequent reinstatement as the head of the AI organization. In a recent podcast interview with Logan Bartlett, Altman opened up about the dramatic episode and the unusual experiences that followed.

Altman described the four and a half days between his departure and return as "insane" and "superjammed," during which he found himself in an "adrenaline-charged state." Within a day of his exit, he received messages from presidents and prime ministers around the world, which felt "very normal" at the time. However, the aftermath of his departure was anything but ordinary.

Altman recounted not sleeping much and barely eating after his exit, though he maintained high energy levels throughout the ordeal. It wasn't until he stopped at a diner on the way to Napa the day before Thanksgiving that he realized he hadn't eaten in days, ordering four substantial entrées and two milkshakes in a celebratory meal that felt "very satisfying."

The gravity of the situation struck Altman later when he received a text from a president expressing relief that everything had been resolved. It was then that he recognized the unusual nature of having multiple world leaders reach out to him during this period.

Reflecting on the experience, Altman marveled at humanity's remarkable ability to adapt to any circumstance, noting that "you can get used to anything as the new normal, good or bad, pretty fast." This lesson was not new to Altman, who has faced numerous extraordinary situations over the past couple of years, reinforcing his belief in human resilience.

Altman's return to OpenAI as CEO marks a significant chapter in his career and the AI industry at large. Since then, OpenAI has initiated several partnerships, including a recent collaboration with Reddit, further solidifying its position in the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence.