'Busted' – Joe Rogan Openly Mocks Sam Altman For Flexing In A '$4 Million Hyper Car' While 'Telling Everybody You're Not Trying To Make Money'

Joe Rogan recently took a jab at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on The Joe Rogan Experience, calling him out for driving a Koenigsegg Regera. Altman, who has repeatedly stated he's not interested in wealth and took no equity in the AI company, was spotted in the rare hypercar, which originally cost $1.9 million when new. While Rogan mistakenly said the car was worth $4 million, his point remained: driving such an expensive car doesn't match Altman's anti-money stance.

Don't Miss:

During the episode, Rogan and guest Tom Segura couldn’t help but laugh as Rogan pointed out the contradiction between Altman’s words and actions. “He’s always kind of said, ‘I’m not doing this for money. I don't make any money,’ and they just busted him in a $4 million car,” Rogan said, amused by the situation.

Trending: This trailblazing female with an expertise in renewable energy built a company that's bringing the EV revolution to disadvantaged communities — here’s how you can invest at just $500

Rogan went on to say, “You don't buy one of those unless you really want to get rich. And you also want everyone to know how rich you are.” The podcaster poked fun at how flashy the car was, joking that if Altman didn't care about money, he'd be driving something more low-key, like a Mercedes or Lexus. “No one's gonna get mad at you for a Lexus,” he joked.

The story blew up in July when Elon Musk tweeted on social media. When a video surfaced of Altman driving the car, Tesla Owners Silicon Valley X account questioned how OpenAI shifted from a nonprofit to a for-profit company, with Musk simply replying, “Great question.” 

Trending: Don’t miss out on the next Nvidia – you can invest in the future of AI for only $10.

Musk, who cofounded OpenAI with Altman, has been outspoken in his criticism of the company’s development. He claims it has moved away from its initial goal toward a more exclusive and profit-driven model.

Altman, whose net worth is estimated at over $2 billion by Bloomberg, has made his fortune through different investments, including early stakes in Airbnb and Stripe. So, while he's made it clear in the past that money isn’t his focus, Rogan and Segura couldn't help but point out that driving an ultraexpensive hypercar doesn’t exactly scream “money isn’t important.”

Investors have great faith in Sam Altman’s leadership at OpenAI despite the criticism surrounding his lavish lifestyle. With Microsoft as a backer, the business is currently raising $5 billion in its most recent fundraising round, increasing its worth to an astounding $150 billion.

The company’s plan to raise money and expedite its ambitious AI goals includes shifting from a charity to a profit-driven organization, which includes lifting the profit cap for investors.

Read Next:

Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Comments
Loading...
Posted In: StartupsJoe Rogannews accessSam Altman
Benzinga simplifies the market for smarter investing

Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.

Join Now: Free!