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Satya Nadella testifies on Altman's 2023 ouster in OpenAI trial

techMay 12, 202611102

Satya Nadella testified in court that Sam Altman's 2023 firing at OpenAI "looked like amateur city" and that he never received a clear explanation from the board. Nadella said Microsoft moved quickly to back Altman during the upheaval, dismissed the board's claims of "poor communication," and suggested some directors acted out of "jealousy." He described the episode as chaotic and said Microsoft worked to secure Altman's return to stabilize OpenAI's leadership and the companies' partnership. The testimony matters because it places Microsoft's CEO at the center of a legal fight over OpenAI's governance and control as the company heads toward a possible IPO.

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