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Elon Musk’s only expert witness at the OpenAI trial fears an AGI arms race

Published

1 month ago

May 4, 2026

Preport

When do we take AI doomers seriously?

That’s a key subtext of Elon Musk’s attempt to shut down OpenAI’s for-profit AI business. His attorneys argue that the organization was set up as a charity focused on AI safety, and lost its way in pursuit of lucre. To prove that, they cite old emails and statements from the organization’s founders about the need for a public-spirited counterweight to Google DeepMind.

Today, they called their only expert witness: Peter Russell, a University of California, Berkeley computer science professor who has studied AI for decades. His job was to offer background on AI, and establish that this technology is dangerous enough to worry about.

Russell co-signed an open letter in March 2023 calling for a six-month pause in AI research. In a sign of the contradictions here, Musk also signed the same letter, even as he was launching xAI, his own for-profit AI lab.

Russell told jurors and Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rodgers that there were a variety of risks associated with the development of AI, ranging from cybersecurity threats to problems with misalignment and the winner-take-all nature of developing Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). Ultimately, he said that there was a tension between the pursuit of AGI and safety.

Russell’s larger concerns about the existential threats of unconstrained AI didn’t get aired in open court after objections from OpenAI’s attorneys led the judge to limit Russell’s testimony. But Russell has long been a critic of the arms-race dynamic created by frontier labs around the globe competing to reach AGI first, and called for governments to regulate the field more tightly.

OpenAI’s attorneys spent their cross-examination establishing that Russell wasn’t directly evaluating the organization’s corporate structure or its specific safety policies.

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But this reporter (as well as the judge and the jurors) will be weighing how much value to put on the relationship between corporate greed and AI safety concerns. Virtually every one of the OpenAI founders have strenuously warned about the risks of AI, while also emphasizing the benefits, attempting to build AI as fast as possible — and hatching plans for AI-focused for-profit enterprises they would control.

From the outside, a clear issue here is the growing realization inside OpenAI after its founding that the organization simply needed more compute spend if it was to succeed. That money could only come from for-profit investors. The founding team’s fear of AGI in the hands of a single organization pushed them to seek the capital that ultimately tore the team apart, creating the arms race we know today—and bringing us to this lawsuit.

The same dynamic is already playing out at a national level: Senator Bernie Sanders’ push for a law imposing a moratorium on data center construction cites AI fears enunciated by Musk, Sam Altman, Geoffrey Hinton and others. Hoden Omar, who works at the trade organization the Center for Data Innovation, objected to Sanders citing their fears without their hopes, telling TechCrunch that “it is unclear why the public should discount everything tech billionaires say except when their words can be recruited to fill gaps in a precarious argument.”

Now, both sides of the case are asking the court to do just that: take part of Altman and Musk’s arguments seriously, but discount the parts that are less useful for their legal argument.

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Related Topics:AGI Arms Elon expert fears Musks OpenAI race trial witness

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2027: Peter Obi not loss to ADC, he’s having fun in NDC – Atiku’s aide

Published

1 hour ago

June 14, 2026

Preport

Special Assistant to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, says the exit of former Anambra state governor, Peter Obi, from the ADC was never a loss to the party.

Speaking during an interview on Trust TV on Sunday, Shaibu said Obi was having fun in the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.

He was speaking on the exit of Obi from the ADC early last month.

Recall that Obi and former presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, Rabi’u Kwankwaso, dumped the ADC for the NDC, citing internal divisions and court cases.

Airing his own opinion, Atiku’s aide said, “I don’t see Peter Obi’s exit as a loss to the ADC. Peter has found a haven in the NDC or wherever he is. He’s simply having fun there.

“Let me tell you something. In that place, they have what we call the office of the Supreme Leader.

“That’s the only party in Nigeria where I have not seen the party officials. I’ve never heard the party chairman. I’ve never heard of the party secretary. I only hear from their Supreme Leader.”

News

DO-OR-DIE AT SHOWTIME: Warriors Eye Final Spot As Knights And Rebels Prepare For Winner-Takes-All Showdown

Published

3 hours ago

June 14, 2026

Preport

The road to the Showtime Bowl reaches a dramatic crossroads today as Showtime Arena, Meadow Hall, Lekki prepares to host one of the biggest nights in Showtime Flag Football history.

After an electrifying first leg that produced intense battles, playoff drama, and an unforgettable 82-point thriller, the Showtime Bowl Series XIV Playoffs return today for the decisive second leg — where championship dreams will survive or die.

Four teams remain in the hunt.

Only two will move one step closer to lifting the Showtime Bowl trophy.

And by the end of tonight, the playoff picture will look completely different.

The opening matchup of the evening sees the Abia-Warriors return to battle the Ibom Raptors after securing a hard-fought 21-13 victory in the first leg.

The Warriors once again showed why they have become one of the most dominant teams in Showtime football, using their experience and discipline to take an eight-point advantage into today’s clash.

But despite the defeat, the Raptors left the first leg with renewed belief.

Unlike previous meetings where the Warriors completely controlled the contest, the Raptors fought fiercely and proved they have the talent to challenge one of the league’s biggest powerhouses.

Now they face their biggest test yet.

Can the Raptors produce the comeback that could shake the entire league?

Or will the Warriors continue their march toward another championship appearance?

With stars on both sides capable of changing a game in an instant, the opening playoff battle promises tension, physicality, and elite football from the first whistle.

Then comes the game everyone is talking about.

The Lagos Knights and Lagos Rebels return to the field after producing one of the greatest playoff spectacles in Showtime history.

Their first-leg encounter ended in a breathtaking 41-41 draw, leaving absolutely nothing between two of the hottest teams in the league.

It was football at its finest.

Touchdowns. Big plays. Momentum swings. Pure entertainment.

Now the rivalry enters its final chapter.

The Knights arrive carrying momentum from their remarkable rise during the postseason, including a dominant 59-0 Wildcard victory that announced them as serious contenders.

The Rebels, meanwhile, continue to play with confidence, swagger, and the fearless attacking style that has made them one of the most dangerous teams in the playoffs.

Today there will be no second chances.

No draws.

No escape.

One team advances. One team’s season ends.

The atmosphere inside Showtime Arena is expected to be electric as players, coaches, and supporters prepare for what could become one of the defining nights of the Showtime Bowl Series XIV season.

From rising stars and fierce rivalries to unforgettable moments and championship ambitions, Showtime Flag Football continues to showcase why it remains one of the fastest-growing and most exciting sports platforms in Nigeria.

Today is about more than football.

It is about pride.

It is about legacy.

It is about earning the right to continue the journey.

Four teams enter Showtime Arena with dreams of championship glory.

By the end of tonight, only the strongest will remain standing on the Road to the Showtime Bowl.