Jury selected in Musk v. Altman trial; some jurors expressed concerns about Musk and AI technology but pledged fairness

A jury of nine was selected on Monday in federal court in Oakland, California for the trial of Musk v. Altman. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers noted that many people hold negative opinions about Musk, but stated that Americans with such feelings could still serve fairly. The jury includes a painter, a former Lockheed Martin employee, and a psychiatrist.

The case centers on whether Sam Altman and other defendants improperly steered OpenAI's nonprofit venture away from its original mission. However, the jury's verdict will be advisory—Judge Gonzalez Rogers will make the final decision.

Opening statements and the first witness testimony are scheduled for Tuesday. Meanwhile, Musk promoted a New Yorker investigation into Altman's alleged deceptive business conduct on his social media platform X on the morning of jury selection, and OpenAI's official newsroom called the lawsuit 'an attempt to undermine our work to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.'