San Francisco — Over dinner with a select group of technology reporters, OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman offered a glimpse into the company’s ambitions beyond its most recent artificial intelligence model, GPT-5.

The dinner, held at a Mediterranean restaurant overlooking Alcatraz Island, came just a week after the launch of GPT-5 — a release that has received a mixed reception compared to its predecessor, GPT-4. While GPT-4 reshaped expectations in the AI industry, GPT-5 has been described as performing only on par with competitors from Google and Anthropic.

Altman acknowledged missteps in the rollout, particularly the decision to deprecate GPT-4o without prior notice. “I legitimately just thought we screwed that up,” he admitted. OpenAI has since pledged to provide clearer transition periods when phasing out older models.

Vice President of ChatGPT Nick Turley added that updates are already being deployed to make GPT-5’s tone “warmer” while avoiding unhealthy reinforcement of negative behaviors.

Despite the criticisms, GPT-5’s launch has not slowed adoption. According to Altman, API traffic doubled within 48 hours of its release, pushing demand beyond available GPU supply. Several AI coding assistants, including Cursor, have since adopted GPT-5 as their default model.

But the evening’s discussion highlighted that OpenAI’s focus is now shifting beyond model releases. Altman emphasized that the company is evolving into a broader technology enterprise, with initiatives in search, consumer hardware, and enterprise applications.

He confirmed that Fidji Simo, the incoming CEO of applications, will oversee new consumer products beyond ChatGPT, including a possible AI-powered browser positioned to compete with Google Chrome.

Altman even suggested OpenAI would consider acquiring Chrome if it were to be sold. Additionally, OpenAI is exploring an AI-driven social media platform, which Altman believes could deliver a “cooler kind of social experience with AI.”

On the frontier of neuroscience, Altman also confirmed OpenAI’s interest in investing in Merge Labs, a brain-computer interface startup that would compete with Elon Musk’s Neuralink. “We have not done that deal yet; I would like us to,” he stated.

The dinner underscored OpenAI’s ambition to evolve into an expansive technology company resembling Alphabet, but with an even broader scope. From data centers and robotics to energy and consumer hardware, Altman signaled that the company is positioning itself well beyond its flagship product.

As speculation grows about an eventual initial public offering, Altman appeared intent on shaping OpenAI’s identity as more than the maker of ChatGPT.

“We’re going to ship a device that is going to be so beautiful,” he remarked, hinting at OpenAI’s forthcoming hardware collaboration with Apple designer Jony Ive.

In the end, the evening was less about GPT-5’s challenges and more about OpenAI’s bold vision for the future. While GPT-5 may not have met the sky-high expectations set by its predecessor, the company’s expanding ambitions suggest that Altman is steering OpenAI toward becoming a technology powerhouse with influence far beyond AI chatbots.