Why Sam Altman Is on The Tonight Show and What to Watch For
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Monday, Dec. 8. It’s his first time on a late-night couch, three years after ChatGPT’s release shook up tech in December 2022, as LastNightOn reports.
Reasons for the Timing
OpenAI faces stiff competition. Google just released Gemini 3 to grab more market share, while Apple works on Siri improvements, according to both LastNightOn and LateNighter. LateNighter calls this a high-pressure moment for OpenAI in the generative AI race it helped start.
Fallon’s show fits Altman well. Fallon often demos gadgets and chats with tech figures from Silicon Valley, drawing younger viewers hooked on AI, per LastNightOn. LateNighter adds that Fallon’s the most tech-curious late-night host, with bits made to spread online.
What to Expect From the Interview
Expect talk on OpenAI, ChatGPT, and AI’s future. Fallon plans respectful questions but will push on risks, especially after Hollywood’s 2023 strikes raised AI worries, LastNightOn says. The Verge, citing LateNighter, figures it’ll center on ChatGPT amid rival moves, skipping side stories like reports on OpenAI eyeing rocket investments.
- AI upsides and downsides
- Competition from Google and Apple
- OpenAI updates
Full Episode Lineup
Altman joins Mila Kunis, fresh off Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery and still voicing Meg on Family Guy, plus musical guests St. Paul & The Broken Bones. All sources confirm this.
Catch it weeknights at 11:35/10:35c on NBC.
