OpenAI CEO Sam Altman served legal notice during public event in San Francisco
The following day, the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office confirmed that the man was one of its investigators and that the subpoena had been lawfully served in connection with a pending criminal case.
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OpenAI chief executive officer Sam Altman was dramatically served a legal notice during a public conversation at San Francisco’s Sydney Goldstein Theatre last week. The incident, which occurred just minutes into the sold-out event, stunned the audience and has since sparked widespread discussion online.
According to a Moneycontrol report citing SFGATE, the confrontation took place when a man seated in the second row suddenly rushed the stage and held out a document, announcing that he had a subpoena for Altman. A subpoena is a legal order issued by a court or government agency requiring an individual to testify in a legal proceeding or produce documents and other evidence.
Event organizer Manny Yekutiel intervened and handed the document to security personnel, who promptly escorted the man out as the audience booed.
The following day, the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office confirmed that the man was one of its investigators and that the subpoena had been lawfully served in connection with a pending criminal case.
Meanwhile, the activist group StopAI—known for organizing protests outside OpenAI’s offices—claimed responsibility for the incident online. The group has been vocal in its criticism of the company’s AI policies and ethical practices.
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