Lawfare Daily: Sam Altman with Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz

This episode of the Lawfare Podcast features a deep dive into a landmark 16,000-word investigation by Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz from The New Yorker, titled 'Sam Altman May Control Our Future, Can He Be Trusted?' The report meticulously documents how OpenAI, originally founded as a nonprofit with strict fiduciary duties to safety and transparency, underwent a years-long transformation into one of the world’s most powerful for-profit tech giants. Central to the exposé is the allegation that Sam Altman and his inner circle systematically misled board members, investors, and the public about safety commitments, corporate governance, and the true nature of OpenAI’s mission. The piece reveals a pattern of deceptive practices, including the suppression of a critical internal review after Altman’s 2023 ouster, the selective use of board members to legitimize his return, and the deliberate withholding of findings in written form—raising serious legal and ethical concerns under Delaware corporate law. Beyond governance, the episode explores the broader 'race to the bottom' in AI development, where profit motives override safety, and where powerful actors—including Altman, Greg Brockman, and major political donors—actively resist regulation. The discussion underscores the urgent need for robust whistleblower protections, federal AI oversight, and judicial accountability, especially as AI systems increasingly influence national security, elections, and global stability. The authors argue that while Altman is a central figure, he is emblematic of a systemic failure in democratic accountability and corporate transparency in the age of artificial intelligence.