Elon Musk and Sam Altman are set for a final showdown in court on a matter related to OpenAI. Musk has alleged that Sam Altman has been benefiting financially from OpenAI’s structural changes. The lawsuit against Sam Altman, which was filed by Musk, has now reached the trial stage. A jury has been selected in a federal court in Oakland. It will now hear both sides, though, some jurors seem to have expressed their opinion about Musk in advance and it is not a good one.
According to the Verge, some jurors believe Musk is “a greedy, racist, homophobic piece of garbage. Some have called him a “world-class jerk.” Musk’s lawyer – as expected – tried to get these jurors struck from the pool, the report adds, but apparently Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said no saying, “The reality is that people don’t like him Many people don’t like him, but that doesn’t mean that Americans nevertheless can’t have integrity for the judicial process.”
Final jury selected despite objections
Finally, nine jurors have been selected, and they represent a diverse group, including a painter, a former Lockheed Martin employee, and a psychiatrist. However, all the people selected assured the court that their personal opinion about Musk and AI will not interfere with their ability to determine the facts of the case, Wired reported separately.
Musk escalates attack ahead of trial
Musk has already intensified his attack on Sam Altman before the trial. In a recent post on X, Musk called Sam Altman “scam Altman,” accusing him and OpenAI president and co-founder Greg Brockman—whom Musk referred to as “Greg Stockman”—of stealing a charity.
In his post, Musk used strong language to launch a sharp attack on OpenAI executives. He accused both Sam Altman and Greg Brockman of benefiting financially from OpenAI’s structural changes, when the company transitioned from a pure nonprofit to a for-profit public benefit corporation (PBC).
What the case could mean for AI
Meanwhile, the case will look into OpenAI’s structure, funding, and partnerships, including its ties with Microsoft. The trial’s outcome could influence who holds power in AI, a technology many fear could replace jobs and even pose risks to humanity.
On Tuesday, lawyers for OpenAI and Elon Musk will deliver opening statements, and the first witness in the case will be called to the stand.
