OpenAI CEO Sam Altman becomes first recipient of Indonesia’s 10-year golden visa

Sam Altman, the Chief Executive Officer of OpenAI, has made history by becoming the first recipient of Indonesia’s Golden Visa, marking a significant milestone in Southeast Asia’s largest economy’s efforts to attract foreign investment. The Indonesian Golden Visa program, which was birthed at the end of August, has already created a buzz in the international community.

Sam Altman’s prestigious visa, particularly in the “world figure” sub-category, with a 10-year validity period, was officially signed by Indonesia’s Director General of Immigration, Silmy Karim, and confirmed in a statement on Indonesia’s immigration website.

The Golden Visa is a special type of visa that grants residence permits lasting from 5 to 10 years, designed to bolster the national economy. This program was set into motion with the implementation of Regulation of the Minister of Law and Human Rights (Permenkumham) Number 22 of 2023 and Regulation of the Minister of Finance Number 82 of 2023.

This initiative was introduced as a part of Indonesia’s broader strategy to stimulate economic development by enticing foreign investors to put their capital into the country. Investors who make substantial financial commitments in Indonesia now have the opportunity to extend their stay for a period ranging from five to ten years.

For instance, an individual who invests a minimum of $350,000 in shares of local public companies, savings accounts, or government bonds can qualify for a five-year stay. Speaking on the program, the Director General of Immigration, Silmy Karim explained,

There are several categories of golden visas apart from those based on investment/capital investment, one of which is the golden visa which is given to figures who have an international reputation and can provide benefits to Indonesia. In obtaining a golden visa, it must be proposed by a central government agency.

 explained the Director General of Immigration, Silmy Karim.

For Sam Altman, the achievement was in recognition of his international reputation and the potential benefits he could bring to Indonesia. As a Golden Visa holder, Altman will enjoy a host of privileges, including priority security screening at airports, extended stay periods, and simplified entry and exit procedures, among other perks.

With this golden visa, Altman is expected to contribute to the development of the use of artificial intelligence in Indonesia. – The statement read.

It remains unknown whether Altman, who previously visited Jakarta to share his insights on artificial intelligence, applied for the visa with the intention of making investments in Indonesia. However, his presence in the country could potentially have a substantial impact on the development of artificial intelligence within Indonesia.

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Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI

Sam Altman rose to global prominence through the remarkable success of ChatGPT, an OpenAI product. His company was launched as a non-profit research company, and Elon Musk was among the founders of the company. Although Musk resigned from OpenAI in 2018.

In 2019, OpenAI declared itself as a ‘for-profit’ company and partnered with the likes of Microsoft and other big corporations. OpenAI has since its inception developed several AI tools, such as ChatGPT and DALL.E. 

Its cutting-edge tools have spurred a surge in investment in AI-supporting infrastructure. These tools have effectively showcased the immense potential of human-like intelligence harnessed through vast data centres.

Before being the CEO of OpenAI, he was the co-founder of Loopt, the president of Y Combinator, and was briefly the CEO of Reddit.

His visit to Indonesia in mid-June was an opportunity to share his knowledge and expertise in the field of artificial intelligence. With the Golden Visa now in his possession, Altman is ideally positioned to contribute significantly to the advancement of artificial intelligence technology in Indonesia.