Trending Now - Sam Altman Faces Crucial Trial Amid Controversial Backlash

WHO:

Business Insider - Sam Altman confirmed on the witness stand that he had a stake in Helion worth more than $1.6 billion as of the end of 2025.

Business Insider - Altman estimated that he owns around a third of Helion Energy and has participated in multiple funding rounds since his first investment in 2015.

ABC News - Ilya Sutskever testified that he regretted his role in the attempt to oust Altman, stating, “I felt that, had I not done this, the company would have been destroyed, and I felt that this was a Hail Mary.”

The Guardian - Mira Murati, OpenAI’s former chief technical officer, testified that Altman had a pattern of “saying one thing to one person and completely the opposite to another person.”

ABC News - Sam Altman is expected to take the stand this week to defend himself.

The Guardian - Ilya Sutskever testified that he regretted his role in the attempt to oust Altman.

CNN - Satya Nadella criticized the OpenAI board's attempt to remove Altman as “amateur-city.”

ABC News - Bret Taylor, the current chair of OpenAI’s board, testified, “I think Sam has done a great job as CEO. He’s been forthright with me and the other board members.”

CNN - Ilya Sutskever testified that he had concerns about Altman’s leadership, stating he characterized Altman as exhibiting a “consistent pattern of lying” that undermined trust and productivity.

ABC News - Ilya Sutskever testified that he wrote a memo to OpenAI’s board in 2023 characterizing Altman as pitting his executives against one another and exhibiting a “consistent pattern of lying.”

The Guardian - Helen Toner, a former OpenAI board member, stated that the decision to oust Altman was based on a “pattern of behavior” related to his honesty and candor.

CNN - Sam Altman testified that Musk's response about the future of OpenAI was a “hair-raising moment.”

CNN - Ilya Sutskever testified that he spent months gathering evidence of Altman’s alleged pattern of deception and poor management.

ABC News - Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI; Elon Musk, world's richest man; Greg Brockman, Altman's top lieutenant; Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI co-founder and former chief scientist; Helen Toner and Tasha McCauley, former OpenAI board members; Shivon Zilis, former OpenAI board member; Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft.

WHAT:

Yahoo Finance - Microsoft targeted a $92 billion return from its early OpenAI investments, as disclosed in planning documents from early 2023.

Yahoo Finance - Microsoft invested about $13 billion in OpenAI through early 2023, with OpenAI's valuation climbing to $852 billion by the end of March.

Fast Company - Musk is seeking a ruling that would require OpenAI to revert to a nonprofit structure and for Altman and Brockman to lose their board positions.

CNN - Musk is asking for more than $130 billion to be returned to OpenAI’s nonprofit arm.

ABC News - Musk is seeking an unspecified amount of money to fund the altruistic efforts of OpenAI’s charitable arm.

CNN - Musk's lawsuit claims that Altman and Brockman breached their charitable trust by shifting OpenAI from a nonprofit to a profit-oriented structure.

Fast Company - The trial has invited further scrutiny of Altman’s leadership at a pivotal time for the company and its competition with Musk’s own AI firm and another rival, Anthropic.

CNN - Musk is seeking a ruling that would require OpenAI to revert to a nonprofit structure and for Altman and Brockman to lose their board positions.

CNN - Musk's lawsuit claims that Altman and Brockman breached their charitable trust by shifting OpenAI from a nonprofit to a profit-oriented structure.

CNN - Musk is asking for more than $130 billion to be returned to OpenAI’s nonprofit arm.

ABC News - Musk is seeking $134 billion to be redistributed to OpenAI’s nonprofit and the undoing of its for-profit structure.

CNN - Musk's lawsuit claims that Altman and Brockman breached their charitable trust by shifting OpenAI from a nonprofit to a profit-oriented structure.

CNN - Musk is seeking a ruling that would require OpenAI to revert to a nonprofit structure and for Altman and Brockman to lose their board positions.

CNN - Musk is asking for more than $130 billion to be returned to OpenAI’s nonprofit arm.

ABC News - The trial has entered its third week, with closing arguments scheduled for Thursday.

ABC News - Musk is seeking an unspecified amount of money to fund the altruistic efforts of OpenAI’s charitable arm, abandoning a previous bid for personal damages.

ABC News - OpenAI is now valued at $852 billion.

The Guardian - Musk's attorneys presented evidence that included a text exchange where Altman asked Mira Murati if things were moving “directionally good or bad,” to which she replied, "Sam this is very bad."

The Guardian - Ilya Sutskever testified that he had concerns about Altman’s leadership, stating he characterized Altman as exhibiting a “consistent pattern of lying” that undermined trust and productivity.

The Guardian - Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella described the OpenAI board's attempt to remove Altman as “amateur-city” and expressed concern that employees would leave en masse.

Wired - Ilya Sutskever testified that he did not want OpenAI to be destroyed, which influenced his decision-making during the leadership crisis.

ABC News - The trial has been ongoing for three weeks and is set to have closing arguments on Thursday.

The Guardian - Musk is seeking $134 billion to be redistributed to OpenAI’s nonprofit and the undoing of its for-profit structure.

ABC News - The trial has invited further scrutiny of Altman’s leadership at a pivotal time for the company and its competition with Musk’s own AI firm and another rival, Anthropic, formed by a group of seven ex-OpenAI leaders.

ABC News - The trial’s closing arguments are set to take place on Thursday.

ABC News - Musk is seeking $134 billion to be redistributed to OpenAI’s nonprofit and the undoing of its for-profit structure.

The Guardian - Musk's attorney claimed that Musk warned Brockman and Altman, “By the end of this week, you and Sam will be the most hated men in America. If you insist, so it will be,” two days before the trial began.

The Guardian - Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella described the OpenAI board's attempt to remove Altman as “amateur-city” and expressed concern that employees would leave en masse.

ABC News - Musk is seeking Altman's removal from OpenAI's leadership as part of a civil lawsuit.

ABC News - The lawsuit accuses Altman and Brockman of betraying Musk by shifting OpenAI from a nonprofit to a for-profit structure.

ABC News - Musk is seeking an unspecified amount of money to fund OpenAI’s charitable efforts.

The Guardian - Musk is seeking $134 billion to be redistributed to OpenAI’s nonprofit and the undoing of its for-profit structure.

ABC News - The trial has been ongoing for three weeks and is set to have closing arguments on Thursday.

The Guardian - Altman is expected to take the stand in the coming days.

WHERE:

ABC News - The trial is taking place in a federal courtroom in Oakland, California.

WHEN:

CNN - Closing arguments are scheduled for Thursday.

ABC News - The trial began in 2023 when Altman was ousted as CEO for five days before being reinstated.

WHY:

NBC News - Musk's legal team accused Altman of putting profit over people, claiming he prioritized profit incentives above the company's mission statement to work for the public good.

The Guardian - Musk's case is motivated by personal jealousy of OpenAI’s success.

ABC News - Musk claims Altman and Brockman strayed from OpenAI’s founding mission to be an altruistic steward of technology.

The Guardian - Musk's case is motivated by personal jealousy of OpenAI’s success.

HOW:

Business Insider - During cross-examination, Altman was asked by Musk's attorney if he was "completely trustworthy," to which he replied, "I believe so."

Business Insider - Altman faced intense cross-examination from Musk's attorney, who asked, “are you completely trustworthy?” to which Altman replied, “I believe so.”

Fast Company - Musk warned that Brockman and Altman “will be the most hated men in America” as a result of the trial.

CNN - Altman testified that Musk “demotivated” key researchers by ranking their accomplishments, which damaged the company culture.

The Guardian - Musk’s attorney claimed that Musk warned Brockman and Altman, “By the end of this week, you and Sam will be the most hated men in America. If you insist, so it will be,” two days before the trial began.

The Guardian - Testimony included video from Mira Murati, OpenAI’s former chief technical officer, who accused Altman of “creating chaos” and having a pattern of “saying one thing to one person and completely the opposite to another person.”

The Guardian - Musk's attorneys are using private text messages, diary entries, and internal email exchanges to portray Altman as untrustworthy.

ABC News - Testimony includes text exchanges and video depositions from former executives and board members.

The Guardian - Musk's attorneys are using private text messages, diary entries, and internal email exchanges to portray Altman as untrustworthy.

(UPDATED May 13, 2026 06:07 UTC)

Sam Altman confirmed on the witness stand that he holds a stake in Helion worth more than $1.6 billion as of the end of 2025, estimating that he owns around a third of the company after participating in multiple funding rounds since his initial investment in 2015. Meanwhile, Microsoft is targeting a $92 billion return from its early investments in OpenAI, having invested about $13 billion through early 2023, with OpenAI's valuation soaring to $852 billion by the end of March. During cross-examination, when asked by Musk's attorney if he was "completely trustworthy," Altman responded, "I believe so."

(UPDATED May 13, 2026 04:15 UTC)

Ilya Sutskever testified that he regretted his role in the attempt to oust Sam Altman, describing his actions as a desperate measure to save the company. Meanwhile, Musk is seeking a ruling to revert OpenAI back to a nonprofit structure and is demanding more than $130 billion to be returned to its nonprofit arm, with closing arguments scheduled for Thursday. During the proceedings, Altman faced tough questioning from Musk's attorney, who asked if he was completely trustworthy, to which Altman confidently replied, “I believe so.”

(UPDATED May 13, 2026 01:32 UTC)

Sam Altman is expected to take the stand this week to defend himself as the trial continues to scrutinize his leadership amid competition with Elon Musk's AI firm and Anthropic. Musk is seeking an unspecified amount of money to fund OpenAI’s charitable efforts, claiming that Altman and Brockman breached their charitable trust by shifting the organization from a nonprofit to a profit-oriented structure. Closing arguments are scheduled for Thursday, and during intense cross-examination, Altman responded to Musk's attorney's question about his trustworthiness by stating, “I believe so.”

(UPDATED May 12, 2026 21:22 UTC)

In a high-stakes trial, Bret Taylor, chair of OpenAI’s board, praised CEO Sam Altman for his transparency, while Ilya Sutskever raised serious concerns about Altman's leadership, accusing him of a "consistent pattern of lying." Meanwhile, Elon Musk is pushing for a court ruling to revert OpenAI to a nonprofit structure, claiming that Altman and Brockman breached their charitable trust and is seeking over $130 billion to be returned to the organization. Musk has warned that the trial could lead to Altman and Brockman becoming "the most hated men in America."

(UPDATED May 12, 2026 19:29 UTC)

Ilya Sutskever testified that he wrote a memo to OpenAI’s board in 2023, describing Sam Altman as someone who pits his executives against each other and shows a “consistent pattern of lying.” Meanwhile, Elon Musk is seeking $134 billion to be redistributed to OpenAI’s nonprofit and is challenging the shift from a nonprofit to a profit-oriented structure, claiming that Altman and Brockman breached their charitable trust. Musk's attorney revealed that just two days before the trial began, Musk warned Brockman and Altman that they would become “the most hated men in America” if they continued on their current path.

(UPDATED May 12, 2026 17:39 UTC)

In a dramatic turn of events, Sam Altman testified that Elon Musk's comments regarding the future of OpenAI were a “hair-raising moment,” while Ilya Sutskever revealed he spent months collecting evidence of Altman’s alleged pattern of deception and poor management. Musk is now seeking a court ruling to force OpenAI to revert to a nonprofit structure and remove Altman and Brockman from their board positions, along with a demand for over $130 billion to be returned to the nonprofit arm. Altman also stated that Musk “demotivated” key researchers by ranking their accomplishments, which ultimately harmed the company's culture.

(UPDATED May 12, 2026 15:52 UTC)

The trial surrounding OpenAI has entered its third week, with closing arguments set for Thursday. Elon Musk is now seeking an unspecified amount of money to support the charitable efforts of OpenAI, moving away from his previous request for personal damages, while the company is currently valued at $852 billion. During the proceedings, Musk's attorneys presented evidence of a concerning text exchange regarding leadership issues, with Ilya Sutskever testifying about his lack of trust in CEO Sam Altman, describing a “consistent pattern of lying” that he believed undermined the organization.

(UPDATED May 12, 2026 13:31 UTC)

The trial involving Musk and OpenAI has been ongoing for three weeks and is set to have closing arguments on Thursday. Musk is seeking a staggering $134 billion to be redistributed to OpenAI’s nonprofit and to dismantle its for-profit structure, while the trial has intensified scrutiny on Altman’s leadership amid fierce competition from Musk’s AI firm and Anthropic, which was founded by former OpenAI leaders. Testimony has included accusations from OpenAI’s former chief technical officer, who claimed Altman created chaos and was inconsistent in his communications, as Musk's attorneys present private messages and internal emails to paint Altman as untrustworthy.

(UPDATED May 12, 2026 09:48 UTC)

Musk is seeking a staggering $134 billion to be redistributed to OpenAI’s nonprofit and to dismantle its for-profit structure. Just days before the trial began, Musk's attorney claimed he warned Brockman and Altman that they would become “the most hated men in America” if they insisted on their current course of action. Testimony from Mira Murati, OpenAI’s former chief technical officer, included video accusations against Altman for “creating chaos” and having a habit of saying one thing to one person and the opposite to another.

(UPDATED May 12, 2026 07:51 UTC)

In a high-stakes trial taking place in a federal courtroom in Oakland, California, Elon Musk is seeking the removal of Sam Altman from OpenAI's leadership as part of a civil lawsuit that accuses Altman and Greg Brockman of betraying Musk by transforming the organization from a nonprofit to a for-profit entity. Musk is demanding $134 billion to be redistributed to OpenAI’s nonprofit and aims to reverse its for-profit structure, with closing arguments set to begin on Thursday and Altman expected to take the stand in the coming days. The ongoing trial has featured testimony that includes private text messages, diary entries, and video depositions from former executives and board members, all aimed at portraying Altman as untrustworthy.