Jurors with negative views of Musk and AI selected for OpenAI trial

A jury was selected on Monday for the Musk v. Altman trial in federal court in Oakland, California, with several chosen jurors voicing concerns about Elon Musk and artificial intelligence technology while assuring the court they would remain impartial. The nine selected jurors include a painter, a former Lockheed Martin employee, and a psychiatrist. Several potential jurors said they held negative opinions about Musk when questioned by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers and attorneys. Only one juror was excused on the basis of strong negative opinions regarding Musk. Judge Gonzalez Rogers told the courtroom that many people do not like Musk, but added that she believed Americans with negative feelings could still decide the case fairly. The jury's verdict will be advisory, with Gonzalez Rogers retaining the final call on whether Sam Altman and other defendants improperly steered OpenAI's nonprofit venture away from its original mission. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman were present at the courthouse, though Musk was not. OpenAI attorney William Savitt said at a press briefing afterward that Altman, Brockman, and OpenAI were looking forward to presenting their case. Outside the courtroom, demonstrators protested the AI race and called for a pause on further development. Musk used his social media platform X to boost a recent New Yorker investigation into Altman's alleged deceptive business conduct. OpenAI's official newsroom account published a post on X calling Musk's lawsuit an attempt to undermine the company's work to ensure artificial general intelligence benefits humanity. Opening statements and the first witness testimony are scheduled for Tuesday.