Where are YC founders now? OpenAI and Anthropic, mostly
joinedanthropic.com
July 16, 2026
2 min read
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49/100
Summary
Sam Altman continues to serve as CEO of OpenAI. Emmett Shear briefly led OpenAI in 2023, while Gabor Cselle transitioned from OpenAI to Google Workspace GenAI after working on strategy.
Key Takeaways
- Sam Altman is currently the CEO of OpenAI.
- Emmett Shear briefly led OpenAI for one weekend in 2023.
- Tom Brown is a co-founder and the Chief Compute Officer at Anthropic.
- Many former OpenAI employees have transitioned to roles at Anthropic or other tech companies.
Community Sentiment
Positives
- Sam Altman hiring familiar YC talent shows a smart, strategic move — these founders have been vetted and proven, making them valuable assets for OpenAI and Anthropic.
Concerns
- The glamorization of YC founders as generational wealth creators is misleading; most don't make it past seed funding and are left with little to show for their efforts.
- Claiming the founder route is the fastest track to success ignores the harsh reality of countless failed startups — grinding for years with little to no payoff is the norm for most.