Sam Altman has a crib recommendation — and it's not the Snoo
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- Sam Altman, a dad and OpenAI's CEO, loves one smart crib for his baby son.
- His top baby gear picks so far are Cradlewise's crib and lots of burp cloths.
- At $1,999, Cradlewise is pricer than the Snoo — but it can be used for longer.
OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, is deep in new-dad life — and he's already sharing strong opinions on baby gear.
"We bought a lot of silly baby things that we haven't needed," he posted on X on Sunday night. "But definitely I recommend a Cradlewise crib and a lot more burp rags than you think you could possibly need."
Cradlewise hasn't made as many headlines as its older and bigger competitor, the Snoo — the sleek, motorized bassinet that's basically the Tesla of baby tech. The Snoo, designed by celebrity pediatrician Harvey Karp, has been the go-to setup for sleep-deprived parents for nearly a decade. It uses motion, white noise, and a built-in swaddle to gently rock babies back to sleep.
Retailing at $1,695, or $159 a month to rent, the Snoo has amassed a devoted fan base, including celebrity parents like Justin Timberlake and Zoe Saldaña, who invested in the company.
Altman's pick, Cradlewise, works a little differently — and at nearly $2,000, it's the pricier option.
Instead of waiting for cries, it bounces the baby gently up and down to preempt fussing. It also skips the built-in swaddle, one of Snoo's signature features, and includes a built-in baby monitor and music features.
Parents can use Cradlewise's crib for longer with a growing baby. The Snoo tops out at around six months old. Cradlewise converts from bassinet to crib, so it can be used until the baby turns two years old or meets other milestones, like weight.
"We're so grateful to Sam Altman for choosing Cradlewise for their baby," Radhika Patil, the CEO and cofounder of Cradlewise, told Business Insider. "It means a lot coming from someone who truly understands the power of good tech."
Snoo did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
'Having a kid changed a lot of things'
Altman and his husband, software engineer Oliver Mulherin, welcomed their baby boy in February. The newborn came early and spent some time in the neonatal intensive care unit.
"I have never felt such love," Altman posted on X shortly after becoming a dad.
Speaking at a TED event on Friday, Altman called parenthood "by far the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me."
"Having a kid changed a lot of things," he said. "The kind of cost of not being with my kid is just like crazily high."
Altman added, "I really cared about like not destroying the world before. I really care about it now."
He joked, "I didn't need a kid for that part."