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

techMay 12, 202611137

Satya Nadella testified in court that Sam Altman's May 2023 firing from OpenAI "was sort of amateur city" and that the OpenAI board never gave him a clear explanation for the ouster. Nadella said he moved to back Sam Altman because Microsoft needed stable leadership to protect its multibillion-dollar Azure partnership and investment in OpenAI. The testimony arrived while Elon Musk and other challengers press claims about OpenAI's governance and leadership, increasing scrutiny of the board's independence. How the court weighs Nadella's account could shape investor confidence and push governance reforms as OpenAI prepares for a potential IPO.

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