{"id":35696,"date":"2026-05-12T07:45:50","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T07:45:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/35696\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T07:45:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T07:45:50","slug":"microsoft-ceo-says-he-was-never-given-clarity-on-why-altman-was-fired-from-openai-during-musk-trial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/35696\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft CEO says he was never given &#8216;clarity&#8217; on why Altman was fired from OpenAI during Musk trial"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\">Microsoft (<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/quote\/MSFT\/\" data-i13n=\"cpos:1;pos:1\" data-ylk=\"slk:MSFT;cpos:1;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;MSFT&quot;,&quot;yHasCommerce&quot;:false}\" target=\"_blank\">MSFT<\/a>) CEO Satya Nadella took the stand in US District Court in Oakland, Calif., on Monday as part of Elon Musk\u2019s <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/sectors\/technology\/article\/elon-musks-years-long-legal-battle-with-openai-and-sam-altman-will-finally-head-to-trial-on-monday-130000137.html\" data-i13n=\"cpos:2;pos:1\" data-ylk=\"slk:ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI;cpos:2;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI&quot;,&quot;yHasCommerce&quot;:false}\" target=\"_blank\">ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI<\/a> (<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/quote\/OPAI.PVT\/\" data-i13n=\"cpos:3;pos:1\" data-ylk=\"slk:OPAI.PVT;cpos:3;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;3&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;OPAI.PVT&quot;,&quot;yHasCommerce&quot;:false}\" target=\"_blank\">OPAI.PVT<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\">Nadella testified about his relationship with Musk, Microsoft\u2019s work with OpenAI, and questions about how the companies\u2019 tie-up has benefited Microsoft.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\">The CEO also responded to questions about OpenAI\u2019s brief ouster of CEO Sam Altman in November 2023.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\">Microsoft has been one of OpenAI\u2019s largest backers, investing billions of dollars in the company in exchange for using its technology across Microsoft\u2019s products.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\">During his testimony, Nadella said that, despite asking for a reason for OpenAI&#8217;s firing of Altman, he was never given a full explanation for the move. The CEO also said he wasn\u2019t made aware of the decision to terminate Altman in advance, but was instead pulled out of a meeting and informed of the move.<\/p>\n<p>    <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/a6020a3a-593c-46cc-a436-629d66f392b4.jpeg\" alt=\"Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella enters a U.S. federal courthouse as the trial in Elon Musk&amp;#39;s lawsuit over OpenAI&amp;#39;s for-profit conversion continues, in Oakland, California, U.S., May 11, 2026. REUTERS\/Manuel Orbegozo\" loading=\"eager\" height=\"629\" width=\"960\" class=\"yf-lglytj  loaded\"\/> Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella enters a US federal courthouse in Oakland, Calif., as the trial in Elon Musk&#8217;s lawsuit over OpenAI&#8217;s for-profit conversion continues on May 11, 2026. (Reuters\/Manuel Orbegozo)  \u00b7 REUTERS \/ REUTERS    <\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\">At the time, the OpenAI board said that they cut ties with Altman because he wasn\u2019t consistently candid with members.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\">Nadella said the reasoning didn\u2019t suffice and believed \u201c[t]here may have been some jealousy \u2026 coming through.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\">He further claimed that he was worried that OpenAI employees would leave the company en masse at the time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\">Musk, who co-founded OpenAI with Altman and president Greg Brockman, is suing the company, as well as Altman, Brockman, and Microsoft, claiming Altman and Brockman have broken with the company\u2019s original mission to create AI that benefits humanity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\">Musk claims Altman and Brockman duped him after he donated millions of dollars to help get OpenAI off the ground as a nonprofit, only to turn around and restructure the company as a for-profit organization.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\">He has also accused Microsoft of aiding and abetting Altman and Brockman with fraud against him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\">During his time on the stand, Nadella claimed Musk never reached out to him regarding issues with Microsoft\u2019s deal with OpenAI despite the two sharing phone numbers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\">Altman has yet to take the stand in the trial but could do so later this week.<\/p>\n<p>    <a href=\"https:\/\/preferences.newsletters.yahoo.net\/subscribe\/financetech?ncid=366&amp;.tsrc=366&amp;ncid=crm_-1410821-20240925-1&amp;bt_user_id=mr7cq8GBSOV6K8R5o6dQWsd8mroARct8lRG9zZ1%2FPepe5dyO67kJeyFk91MnkY38hkZgGBUtLOlt6SaTIZisU5i9%2FrMdsGFSavy5ysJLsER9VP7WMAHQxh4MBFN6ZrNF&amp;bt_ts=1727295067360\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" alt=\"Sign up for Yahoo Finance's Week in Tech newsletter.\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"350\" width=\"700\" class=\"yf-lglytj loader\"\/><\/a> Sign up for Yahoo Finance&#8217;s Week in Tech newsletter.  \u00b7 Yahoo Finance    <\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\">Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on X at <a class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/danielhowley\" data-i13n=\"slk:@DanielHowley;cpos:4;pos:1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:@DanielHowley;slk:@DanielHowley;cpos:4;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;@DanielHowley&quot;,&quot;yHasCommerce&quot;:false}\">@DanielHowley<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/tech\" data-i13n=\"slk:Click here for the latest technology news that will impact the stock market;cpos:5;pos:1\" data-ylk=\"slk:Click here for the latest technology news that will impact the stock market;slk:Click here for the latest technology news that will impact the stock market;cpos:5;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Click here for the latest technology news that will impact the stock market&quot;,&quot;yHasCommerce&quot;:false}\" target=\"_blank\">Click here for the latest technology news that will impact the stock market<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1fy9kyt\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/news\/\" data-i13n=\"slk:Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance;cpos:6;pos:1\" data-ylk=\"slk:Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance;slk:Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance;cpos:6;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;6&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance&quot;,&quot;yHasCommerce&quot;:false}\" target=\"_blank\">Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance<\/a><\/p>\n<p>   <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Microsoft (MSFT) CEO Satya Nadella took the stand in US District Court in Oakland, Calif., on Monday as&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":35697,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[140,320,157,370,2806],"class_list":{"0":"post-35696","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-openai","8":"tag-elon-musk","9":"tag-microsoft","10":"tag-openai","11":"tag-sam-altman","12":"tag-satya-nadella"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35696","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35696"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35696\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35696"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}