
For the last three weeks, a messy, dramatic battle has played out between two of the most powerful titans of tech in the world: Elon Musk and Sam Altman.
As jury deliberations begin today, the technology reporter Mike Isaac takes us inside the courtroom drama and explains how a corporate dispute got extremely personal.
Guest: Mike Isaac (https://www.nytimes.com/by/mike-isaac) , a New York Times reporter based in the San Francisco Bay Area, covering tech companies and Silicon Valley.
Background reading:
• Inside the courtroom circus (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/technology/courtroom-circus-elon-musk-sam-altman.html) with Elon Musk and Sam Altman.
• Musk lawyer’s question for Sam Altman on the stand: Are you trustworthy (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/technology/sam-altman-openai-trial-elon-musk-lawyers.html) ?
Photo: Manuel Orbegozo/Reuters, Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images
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The Courtroom Showdown Between Elon Musk and Sam Altman