This week on Uncanny Valley, the WIRED team dissects the high-stakes trial between Elon Musk and OpenAI, the hollowing out of the DOJ's voting rights division, and whether AI is really taking our jobs.
The Musk-OpenAI Showdown
In a federal courthouse in Oakland, California, the jury trial of Elon Musk versus OpenAI CEO Sam Altman kicked off this week. The legal feud, simmering since 2024, centers on Musk's claim that OpenAI abandoned its nonprofit mission to benefit humanity and that he was misled into donating millions. OpenAI counters that Musk, now running rival xAI, is simply trying to hobble a competitor. The outcome could force OpenAI to unwind its complex for-profit structure, potentially ousting Altman and president Greg Brockman.
During dramatic testimony, Musk took the stand to recount his early conversations with Larry Page about AI safety and his role in founding OpenAI. The courtroom has seen petty jabs: Musk boosted a critical New Yorker profile of Altman, while a judge's deadpan quip about federal funding seemed aimed at Musk's DOGE initiative.
Is AI Replacing Jobs?
The team also examined recent layoffs at Meta and across the tech industry. While Meta cuts hundreds of workers training its AI models, the broader trend suggests AI is reshaping roles rather than eliminating them wholesale. The episode explores whether the much-feared AI job apocalypse is overhyped—or just beginning.
DOJ Gutting Voting Rights
A WIRED investigation reveals that the Justice Department has effectively dismantled its voting rights section, ousting dozens of lawyers who enforced the Voting Rights Act. This hollowing out, the team argues, could have profound consequences for future elections, especially as the 2024 cycle heats up.
Tune in to Uncanny Valley for in-depth analysis, or read the full investigations linked in the show notes.