- Sam Altman served a subpoena on stage during live San Francisco event.
- Stop AI links subpoena to activists’ upcoming criminal trial.
- OpenAI seeks U.S. support amid restructuring and funding challenges.
OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman was served with a subpoena during a live discussion with Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr at the Sydney Goldstein Theater in San Francisco. The event, hosted by civic leader Manny Yekutiel, was interrupted when a man from the audience jumped on stage claiming to deliver a subpoena. Yekutiel stepped in to block the individual before security escorted him away. The document was handed to theater staff, and the program resumed after a short pause.
The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office later confirmed that the man was one of its investigators and had legally served Altman. Spokesperson Valerie Ibarra told SFGATE that Altman was named as a witness in an ongoing criminal case after earlier attempts to reach him at OpenAI’s headquarters and online failed.
Activist Group Ties Subpoena to Upcoming Trial
Activist group Stop AI claimed responsibility for the service, stating that the subpoena was related to its upcoming court proceedings involving members charged for non-violent protests against OpenAI. The organization has previously shown outside the company’s San Francisco offices, calling artificial intelligence an “existential threat to humanity.”
OpenAI Faces Questions on Funding and Structure
The subpoena comes as OpenAI seeks U.S. government backing to secure financing for large-scale AI chip and data center projects. Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar, speaking at The Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live conference, stated that the company is not considering a public listing at this time. “IPO is not on the cards right now,” Friar stated, noting OpenAI’s focus on scaling operations following its recent corporate restructuring.
OpenAI restructured its for-profit entity into a public benefit corporation in late October as part of a new agreement with Microsoft that values the company at $500 billion. The OpenAI Foundation, its nonprofit parent, holds 26% of the equity and retains long-term control.
Friar added that the company is exploring possible partnerships with private equity firms, banks, and possibly government agencies to lower financing costs for AI infrastructure. She explained that depreciation risks in high-cost AI hardware make traditional lending less practical without external guarantees.
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