OpenAI's Sam Altman Gets Legal Notice While Onstage At SFGATE Event | Watch

OpenAI chief Sam Altman was handed legal papers in person while speaking at a packed venue in San Francisco last week. The move came minutes into the session at Sydney Goldstein Theater and halted proceedings briefly.

Reports from SFGATE state a man left his seat near the front, approached the stage, and declared he held a subpoena for Altman. The document requires appearance or evidence in a legal case. Host Manny Yekutiel stepped in, took the papers, and security removed the man as the crowd voiced disapproval.

Altman stayed seated and unharmed. The San Francisco Public Defender's Office stated the next day that its investigator carried out the service, per the New York Post.

"An investigator from the San Francisco Public Defender's Office lawfully served a subpoena on Mr Altman because he is a potential witness in a pending criminal case," spokesperson Valerie Ibarra said. Previous tries reached OpenAI offices and its web system.

Stop AI asserts involvement

The activist outfit Stop AI, critical of OpenAI operations and standards, shared credit for the incident online.

The pause cut into Altman's talk with civic leader Manny Yekutiel on subjects like economic divides, AI progress, and OpenAI content rules.

We are not here to draw moral lines: Altman on adult AI outputs

Altman also fielded questions on his October post about ChatGPT allowing adult-themed material for verified users. The timing overlapped a veto by Governor Gavin Newsom on minor-protection AI rules, drawing ire from legislators and families.

"We are not here to draw moral lines for consenting adults," Altman said, "but we do take safety seriously." He noted continued bans on self-harm or mental health risks.