Elon Musk and Sam Altman’s court battle over the future of OpenAI
Sam Altman and Elon Musk are set to face off in a high-stakes trial that could alter the future of tech’s leading AI startup, OpenAI. The trial begins with jury selection on April 27th, as Musk pushes forward his 2024 lawsuit that accuses OpenAI of abandoning its founding mission of developing AI to benefit humanity and shifting focus to boosting profits instead. Musk was a cofounder of OpenAI and claims that Altman and cofounder Greg Brockman tricked him into giving the company money, only to turn their backs on their original goal. However, OpenAI says that “This lawsuit has always been a baseless and jealous bid to derail a competitor” in a bid to boost Musk’s own SpaceX / xAI / X companies that have launched Grok as a competitor to ChatGPT. In his lawsuit, Musk is asking for the removal of Altman and Brockman, and for OpenAI to stop operating as a public benefit corporation. Musk has also demanded that OpenAI’s nonprofit receive up to $150 billion in damages he’s asking for if he wins the case. Here’s all the latest on the trial between Musk and Altman: - We have a jury. Opening statements tomorrow. - Elon Musk’s lawyer tried to get some jurors thrown out for disliking Musk. YGR denied those challenges. “The reality is that people don’t like him,” she said. “Many people don’t like him. but that doesn’t mean that Americans nevertheless can’t have integrity for the judicial process.” - Apparently things are exciting outside. While the lawyers ask questions of prospective jurors, apparently there are Happenings outside the courtroom. - We have gone through the first 20 potential jurors. We’ll get another set of 20 shortly. So far, five people have disliked Musk enough to bring it up, but all but one say they can be fair. Lots of people have used AI, with varying opinions on it. - Voir dire has begun. Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has introduced herself to prospective jurors; so have all the assorted lawyers. We are looking for nine people. This case should be done by May 21st, at which point it goes to the jury. - The Elon Musk vs. OpenAI trial starts today. I’m in the courtroom — and jury selection will begin shortly. Sam Altman is here, but I haven’t seen Elon Musk. - Elon Musk drops fraud claims against OpenAI and Sam Altman before trial. The federal judge overseeing the case granted Musk’s request on Friday, which he says will “streamline the case” and keep things focused on “ensuring that OpenAI adheres to its public charitable mission.” Two claims will proceed to trial this week. Elon Musk and Sam Altman’s courtroom brawl could burn it all down Elon Musk cofounded OpenAI, and then flounced off in a huff when he wasn’t anointed CEO, leaving Sam Altman as the last power-hungry man standing. Now, Musk is back with a lawsuit, and a trial is scheduled to start in Oakland, California, on April 27th. Theoretically, it’s a legal…
