Subvolts take Investigative reporting reveals concerns about Sam Altman's truthfulness and OpenAI's rise. Apr 16, 2026 - Business
- Understand the scrutiny and trust issues surrounding AI leadership that could impact industry direction.
- Everyday users
- Learn about the key figures and potential concerns behind the AI technology you might be using.
This episode features a prominent investigative journalist discussing critical reporting on a major AI leader and company.
Ronan Farrow on Sam Altman's "unconstrained" relationship with the truth
Audio streams from The Verge. Your place is remembered on this device.
From Subvolts
Summary and analysis by Subvolts editorial, AI-assisted.
Nilay Patel interviews investigative reporter Ronan Farrow on Decoder about his New Yorker deep-dive into OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Farrow discusses Altman's trustworthiness and the rise of OpenAI, drawing on his reporting process and the article's revelations. The conversation explores the implications of these findings for the AI industry.
This podcast episode talks with Ronan Farrow, a famous reporter, about his investigation into Sam Altman, the head of OpenAI. Farrow shares why he thinks Altman's honesty is important and how it connects to the growing power of AI.
This episode offers insight into the critical reporting surrounding OpenAI's leadership and the company's rapid ascent. It is for anyone interested in the intersection of AI development, corporate governance, and public trust. Farrow's investigative approach provides a lens through which to view the current landscape of frontier AI labs, particularly OpenAI, as they navigate intense scrutiny and rapid expansion.
- HostNilay Patel
- GuestRonan FarrowInvestigative Reporter, The New Yorker
- Guest: Ronan Farrow
- Show: Decoder with Nilay Patel
- Length: 62 minutes
- Publication Date: 2026-04-16T09:00:00.000Z
- Article Source: The New Yorker
Today I’m talking with Ronan Farrow, one of the biggest stars of investigative reporting working today. He broke the Harvey Weinstein story, among many, many others.
Just last week, he and co-author Andrew Marantz published an incredible deep-dive feature in The New Yorker about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, his trustworthiness, and the rise of OpenAI itself. So Ronan came on the show to discuss the piece, his reporting process, and why he thinks this story and the revelations it contains really matter.
Read the full interview transcript here on The Verge.
Links:
- Sam Altman may control our future — can he be trusted? | The New Yorker
- Hey ChatGPT, which one of these is the real Sam Altman? | New York Times
- Suspect throws molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s home | Wired
- The attacks on Sam Altman are a warning for the AI world | The Verge
- The vibes are off at OpenAI | The Verge
- Why Sam Altman was booted from OpenAI | The Verge
- Sam Altman, unconstrained by the truth | Gary Marcus
- A brief history of Sam Altman's hype | MIT Tech Review
Subscribe to The Verge to access the ad-free version of Decoder!
Credits:
Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Decoder is produced by Kate Cox and Nick Statt and edited by Ursa Wright. Our editorial director is Kevin McShane.
The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Same guests, other shows
56 min
1 h 18John Ternus Takes Over Apple in the AI Era
WithJohn Ternus
1 h1 h#335 Sriram Raghavan: Why IBM Is Betting Everything on Small AI Models
WithSriram Raghavan
Questions people ask
- What is the main topic of the podcast episode?
- The episode features an interview with Ronan Farrow discussing his New Yorker article about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, his trustworthiness, and the rise of OpenAI.
- Who is Ronan Farrow?
- Ronan Farrow is an investigative reporter known for breaking stories like the Harvey Weinstein case and co-authoring the recent deep-dive feature on Sam Altman and OpenAI for The New Yorker.
Page generated Oct 19, 2026. Summaries are Subvolts' own; the audio, artwork and notes belong to The Verge.