Join Our Livestream: Musk v. Altman and the Future of OpenAI

Wired / 4/22/2026

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Key Points

  • Sam Altman and Elon Musk are set to face off in a trial starting April 27 over whether OpenAI has deviated from its founding mission to ensure AGI benefits humanity.
  • The trial will use a judge advised by a jury to determine the outcome, with the potential for broader implications for OpenAI’s direction as the leading AI developer.
  • The Wired piece frames the case as a pivotal “Musk v. Altman” signal for how governance and mission alignment in frontier AI may be judged and enforced.
  • The upcoming proceeding is positioned as an important event that could affect public trust, regulatory expectations, and strategic decisions across the AI industry.
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Two of Big Tech’s most influential billionaires, Sam Altman and Elon Musk, will go head-to-head in a highly anticipated trial beginning April 27. In Musk v. Altman, a judge, advised by a jury, will ultimately determine whether OpenAI has strayed from its founding mission to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits humanity, and the ruling could influence how the world’s leading AI developer controls and distributes its technology. For now, you can learn more about the trial here.

On the Panel

On May 8, a panel of WIRED experts will go live to answer your questions about this consequential case.

  • Zoë Schiffer: WIRED's director of business and industry, who oversees coverage of business and Silicon Valley.
  • Maxwell Zeff: a senior writer at WIRED covering the business of artificial intelligence. He writes the weekly Model Behavior newsletter, which focuses on the people, communities, and companies behind Silicon Valley’s AI scene.
  • Paresh Dave: a senior writer at WIRED covering the inner workings of Big Tech companies. He writes about how apps and gadgets are built and about their impacts while giving voice to the stories of the underappreciated and disadvantaged.
Ask a Question

Submit all your burning questions about this historic legal battle at WIRED’s next, subscriber-only livestream scheduled for May 8 at noon ET / 9 PT. To leave questions in advance as the trial unfolds, head to the comment section below.

Become a Subscriber

The event will be streamed right here. For subscribers who are not able to join, a replay of the livestream will be available after the event. Not a subscriber yet? Subscribe now to get access to this livestream, plus full access to WIRED.

In the meantime, check out past livestreams on Big Tech and the military, the future of electric vehicles, and more.