The Altman-Musk Trial Was a Waste of Everyone's Time

"During the many days that he spent inside an Oakland courtroom, the normally cheery CEO of OpenAI-a guy who tends to be chipper even when declaring AI's existential risks to humanity-appeared anxious, even distraught. When he listened to the proceedings in Elon Musk's lawsuit against him, a weekslong trial that threatened to remove Altman from OpenAI's board and functionally destroy the company, he frequently concealed his mouth with his palm, fidgeted with a water bottle, and leaned forward and stared at the floor."

"Musk, who helped form OpenAI as a non-profit in 2015, alleged that Altman and OpenAI had violated the organization's founding principles by seeking profits. He was requesting, among other remedies, more than $150 billion in damages, which Musk said he would donate to the OpenAI nonprofit. This morning, a nine-person jury delivered a unanimous verdict after less than two hours of deliberation."

"Whether or not OpenAI had done something wrong, Musk sued outside the statute of limitations, two to three years depending on the charge. And Musk could have known of any alleged wrongdoing, the jury found, well before. Altman has been granted some respite: OpenAI and the AI industry will continue along, unphased, at least until Musk appeals the decision."

"A second portion of the case, related to claims that Musk made under antitrust law, remains unresolved, although the presiding judge has said that his are "not very good claims." Musk's lawyers and OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment."

Altman appeared anxious during a weekslong trial in Oakland over Elon Musk’s lawsuit seeking to remove him from OpenAI’s board and effectively destroy the company. Musk alleged Altman and OpenAI violated OpenAI’s founding principles by pursuing profits and sought more than $150 billion in damages, which Musk said he would donate to the nonprofit. A nine-person jury returned a unanimous verdict after less than two hours of deliberation, finding that even if wrongdoing occurred, Musk sued outside the statute of limitations and could have known of the alleged wrongdoing earlier. OpenAI and the AI industry will continue while Musk appeals. A separate antitrust-related portion of the case remains unresolved, with the judge describing Musk’s antitrust claims as not very good.

Read at The Atlantic