06. February 2026
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Michael Lewis Strikes Sam Altman Book Deal — With an AI Twist
Best-selling author **Michael Lewis**, known for hit books like *The Big Short* and *Moneyball*, revealed he has an agreement with OpenAI CEO **Sam Altman** to write a full biography of Altman — but with an unusual condition. He said the book will come only after **ChatGPT itself is judged capable of writing a rival biography draft**, turning the project into a future test of human versus AI storytelling.
Quick Insight: This unusual challenge highlights how artificial intelligence is being compared directly with traditional human skills — even creative endeavours like writing a biography of a major tech figure.
Why This Book Deal Stands Out
Lewis met with Altman while researching his previous work and suggested that if AI is “so smart,” it should be asked to write Altman’s story. Altman candidly agreed that ChatGPT isn’t ready for that task yet and estimated it might take **a couple of years** before the technology could produce a satisfying draft.
When that day comes, Lewis plans to let the AI write its version of the biography and then write his own — and then compare the two to see which one is better. This sets up a rare “competition” between a human author and an advanced AI in a creative field.
The Broader AI Debate Behind the Idea
Lewis has explored AI’s limits before and hasn’t shied away from questioning the hype around it. He explained that when he tested AI to draft a book on another subject (like a previous tech figure), the results were unimpressive because AI lacks firsthand experience, interviews, and the sensory richness of human memory.
This perspective reflects a larger conversation about whether AI can truly capture the depth of human lives and experiences — or whether it remains a powerful tool that still relies on human direction and creativity.
What This Says About AI’s Role in Creativity
The idea of pitting a human author against AI on the same book raises interesting questions: Can AI eventually match or even exceed a human’s storytelling by synthesizing information and patterns? Or will human authors continue to have an edge because of lived experience and deep narrative judgement?
The challenge also reflects how AI has become not just a tool for business or science but a subject of cultural curiosity and debate — especially when it comes to areas like writing, art, and interpretation.
Final Thoughts
Michael Lewis’s forthcoming biography of Sam Altman — and the unique condition tied to when it will be written — puts a spotlight on how artificial intelligence and human creativity intersect. By turning this into a future contest between human and AI drafts, the project will offer a fascinating glimpse into where AI stands in its ability to match uniquely human skills like narrative writing.
With the rapid evolution of AI tools and ongoing debates about their capabilities, this challenge could become an intriguing milestone in how we think about creativity, storytelling, and technology.
Tip: Watching how AI is compared with human creativity — from writing books to composing music — can help you understand both the strengths and the current limits of these technologies.
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