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    HomeWorldLawyer storms stage to serve subpoena to Sam Altman during live talk

    Lawyer storms stage to serve subpoena to Sam Altman during live talk

    A packed San Francisco audience gathered for what was meant to be an easy, free-flowing conversation on tech and leadership, until an unexpected interruption jolted the room, briefly derailing the evening and leaving everyone wondering what had just unfolded.

    MC World Desk
    November 10, 2025 / 12:00 IST
    Lawyer storms stage to serve subpoena to Sam Altman during live talk

    Minutes into a live public appearance at the Sydney Goldstein Theater in San Francisco, Sam Altman, chief executive of OpenAI, found himself at the centre of an unexpected legal moment. Seated alongside NBA coach Steve Kerr and event host Manny Yekutiel to discuss innovation and leadership, a man jumped onto the stage, raised a paper, and called out that he had a subpoena for Altman.

    The moment was completely unexpected for those in attendance. The unplanned interloper was quickly subdued by Yekutiel and theatre security, who removed him from the stage as a chorus of boos and murmurs ran through the crowd. While the document never reached Altman's hand, under California law, the attempt constitutes valid service so long as proper notice is given.


    Within hours, the San Francisco Public Defender's Office confirmed that the man was one of their investigators. According to a spokesperson, the subpoena pertains to a pending criminal case in which Altman is considered a potential witness. The office noted prior service attempts at OpenAI's headquarters and online before resorting to the stage interruption.

    Soon after, the US activist group Stop AI claimed responsibility for the incident. They claim the event was a reaction to their upcoming trial, arguing the subpoena is connected to charges against members who have staged non-violent blockades of OpenAI's offices. The group styles its protests as objection to what they consider to be existential risks posed by rapid AI development.

    Despite the disruption, Altman remained onstage and resumed the conversation with Kerr and Yekutiel without further incident. The discussion moved back to tech, ethics, and the future of artificial intelligence, but the moment is likely to be remembered as much for the interruption as the content.

    This episode raises at least two questions: one around the mechanics of serving legal service in public forums and another at the intersection of activism and high-tech leadership. To Altman and OpenAI, this now places a legal spotlight on their activities. To the audiences and the broader tech community, it signals how public appearances can become unexpected venues for legal or protest action.

    MC World Desk
    first published: Nov 10, 2025 12:00 pm

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