Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Head To Court
Source: Slashdot
Background
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Associated Press: Technology tycoons Elon Musk and Sam Altman are poised to face off in a high‑stakes trial revolving around the alleged betrayal, deceit and unbridged ambition that blurred the billionaires’ once‑shared vision for the development of artificial intelligence. The trial, which started Monday with jury selection, centers on the 2015 birth of ChatGPT maker OpenAI as a nonprofit startup primarily funded by Musk before evolving into a capitalistic venture now valued at $852 billion.
The outcome could sway the balance of power in AI—breakthrough technology that is increasingly feared as a potential job killer and an existential threat to humanity’s survival. Those perceived risks are among the reasons that Musk, the world’s richest person, cites for filing an August 2024 lawsuit that will now be decided by a jury and U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California.
Lawsuit Details
The civil lawsuit accuses Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, and his top lieutenant Greg Brockman of double‑crossing Musk by straying from the company’s founding mission to be an altruistic steward of a revolutionary technology. The complaint alleges they shifted into a moneymaking mode behind Musk’s back.
OpenAI has brushed off Musk’s allegations as an unfounded case of sour grapes aimed at undercutting its rapid growth and bolstering Musk’s own xAI, which he launched in 2023 as a competitor.
Jury Selection
Judge Gonzalez Rogers questioned potential jurors on Monday about their views on Musk, Altman, and artificial intelligence. Some jurors expressed negative views of Musk, but most said they could still treat him fairly and focus on the facts of the case.
“Part of this is about whether a jury believes the people who will testify and whether they are credible,” Gonzalez Rogers said during a court hearing earlier this year while explaining why she believes the case merited a trial.
The judge rejected attempts by Musk’s lawyer to remove jurors solely because they disliked Musk, stating that dislike does not automatically preclude fairness. The court is selecting nine jurors, and the case is expected to wrap by May 21, when it would go to the jury.
Opening statements are scheduled for tomorrow, April 28.
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