Join our livestream: Musk v. Altman and the future of OpenAI

At a glance:

• The Musk v. Altman trial begins on April 27, 2026.
• WIRED will host a subscriber‑only livestream on May 8, 2026 at noon ET / 9 PT.
• Panelists include Zoë Schiffer, Maxwell Zeff and Paresh Dave.

What the trial is about

The courtroom showdown, dubbed Musk v. Altman, kicks off on April 27, 2026. A judge, guided by a jury, will decide whether OpenAI has deviated from its original charter to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity. The case was sparked by concerns raised by Elon Musk that OpenAI’s rapid commercialization and licensing practices could concentrate power in the hands of a few, potentially endangering the broader public interest.

If the jury finds that OpenAI has indeed strayed from its mission, the ruling could force the company to reshape its governance, licensing model, and perhaps even its research agenda. Conversely, a verdict in favor of Sam Altman’s leadership would reinforce the current trajectory of private‑sector‑driven AI development, giving OpenAI more leeway to partner with cloud providers, monetize its models, and expand its product suite.

Why the livestream matters

WIRED is opening a live, subscriber‑only Q&A session on May 8, 2026, giving readers a chance to pose questions as the trial unfolds. The event will be streamed at noon Eastern Time (9 PT) and will be recorded for later viewing by subscribers who cannot attend live. This format allows the audience to engage directly with journalists who have been tracking the case, providing real‑time analysis and context that go beyond the dry legal filings.

The livestream also serves as a barometer for public sentiment. By collecting questions from the comment section ahead of time, WIRED can surface the most pressing concerns—ranging from data privacy to the future of open‑source AI models—ensuring that the discussion reflects the broader tech community’s anxieties and hopes.

Who is on the panel

The May 8 panel brings together three WIRED veterans with complementary beats. Zoë Schiffer, WIRED’s director of business and industry, oversees coverage of Silicon Valley’s corporate strategies and will frame the trial within the larger competitive landscape of AI startups and incumbents.

Maxwell Zeff, a senior writer who pens the Model Behavior newsletter, will dive into the people, communities, and companies that power the AI ecosystem. His expertise will help unpack how the trial’s outcome could ripple through funding rounds, talent pipelines, and open‑source collaborations.

Paresh Dave, another senior writer, focuses on the inner workings of Big Tech products and their societal impact. He will likely explore how any court‑mandated changes to OpenAI’s governance could affect downstream applications—from ChatGPT integrations in consumer apps to enterprise‑grade APIs used by Fortune 500 firms.

How to participate

Anyone interested can submit questions in advance by posting in the article’s comment section. The livestream will be hosted on WIRED’s platform, and a replay will be made available to all subscribers after the event. Non‑subscribers are encouraged to sign up, as the subscription unlocks not only the live stream but also full access to WIRED’s archive of past tech deep‑dives, including previous livestreams on big‑tech‑military collaborations and the future of electric vehicles.

The panelists will field both pre‑submitted and live audience questions, offering a dynamic, two‑way dialogue. This approach mirrors the growing trend of media outlets turning high‑stakes legal battles into interactive, community‑driven experiences, reinforcing WIRED’s role as a hub for informed tech discourse.