Jury selection in Musk v. Altman: ‘People don’t like him’
Jury selection reveals 9 of 12 potential jurors dislike Elon Musk personally...
The courtroom battle between Elon Musk and Sam Altman over OpenAI's alleged broken promises kicked off Monday with jury selection, and it quickly became clear Musk's polarizing public persona is a major complication. Prospective jurors in the Oakland, California federal court submitted questionnaires with harsh assessments: 'Elon Musk is a greedy, racist, homophobic piece of garbage,' wrote one. Another called him a 'world-class jerk.' A third cited personal offense: 'As a woman of color, I am very aware of the damaging statements and actions Elon Musk has enacted.' Musk's lawyers moved to strike these jurors for cause, arguing their bias would prevent impartiality.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected most challenges, stating bluntly, 'The reality is that people don't like him… Many people don't like him, but that doesn't mean that Americans nevertheless can't have integrity for the judicial process.' Ultimately, nine jurors were selected, including some who admitted negative views about Musk or AI but pledged to weigh evidence fairly. The trial now proceeds on Musk's claims that OpenAI violated its original nonprofit mission by partnering with Microsoft and prioritizing profit over safety—a case that could reshape AI governance.
- Prospective jurors called Musk 'greedy, racist, homophobic garbage' and a 'world-class jerk' in questionnaires
- Judge Rogers allowed biased jurors to serve, ruling dislike doesn't preclude fairness in the judicial process
- Nine jurors selected include some with negative views on Musk or AI who pledged impartiality
Why It Matters
Musk's reputation threatens his legal case; trial outcome could redefine OpenAI's nonprofit-to-profit pivot.