Elon Musk and Sam Altman are going to court over OpenAI’s future

The Download from MIT Technology Review··6 min read
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AI Summary

Elon Musk and Sam Altman head to trial this week over OpenAI's future, with Musk seeking $134 billion in damages and a reversion to non-profit status ahead of OpenAI's IPO. AI companies are struggling to bridge the gap between technological hype and actual profitability, while weaponized deepfakes are escalating in harm, disproportionately affecting women and marginalized groups. Additional top stories include Google's classified Pentagon AI deal, the EU forcing Google to open Android to AI rivals, and DeepSeek pricing its new model 97% below OpenAI's GPT-5.5.

Key Facts

Elon Musk is suing OpenAI for $134 billion, seeking removal of Sam Altman and a reversion to non-profit status just ahead of OpenAI's IPO, with trial starting this week.
DeepSeek priced its new model 97% below OpenAI's GPT-5.5, while Google signed a classified Pentagon AI deal and faces an EU order to open Android to AI rivals.
Weaponized deepfakes are now actively inciting violence and sowing mistrust, with Taylor Swift and other celebrities turning to trademark law to fight AI-generated likenesses.

Author Takes

SkepticalThe Download from MIT Technology Review

AI business models

AI companies have built the tech and promised transformation but still lack a clear path to profit, mirroring the underpants gnomes' missing Step 2.

BearishThe Download from MIT Technology Review

Weaponized deepfakes

Deepfakes are no longer a future threat — they are already inciting violence, changing minds, and cratering trust, with experts alarmed the problem is only worsening.

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