Decoder with Nilay Patel
Decoder with Nilay Patel

Musk v Altman: Much ado about nothing

21 May 2026 34:01 The Verge

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About this episode

Musk v Altman was nominally about OpenAI's conversion to a for-profit entity, and how it went about that change. But really, the suit seems mostly to have been about Elon Musk being mad at Sam Altman — or at OpenAI, for being successful without him — and wanting him punished in some way.

Verge reporter Liz Lopatto spent the last month covering the trial, in all its chaos, and joins Decoder to ask: In a courtroom full of untrustworthy, unreliable people all fighting with each other, did anyone even have a reputation left to lose?


Links: 

  • Elon Musk loses his case against Sam Altman | The Verge

  • Musk v. Altman proved AI is led by the wrong people | The Verge

  • Musk v. Altman accomplished nothing but airing dirty laundry | The Verge

  • Elon Musk’s worst enemy in court is Elon Musk | The Verge

  • Behold, the Elon Musk jackass trophy | The Verge

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Credits:

Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Decoder is produced by Kate Cox and Nick Statt and edited by Ursa Wright. Our editorial director is Kevin McShane. 

The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.

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© 2026 Decoder with Nilay Patel. All rights reserved.

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