OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took a strong stance against The New York Times during a live podcast interview in San Francisco on June 25, 2025. The event quickly turned tense as Altman addressed the ongoing lawsuit filed by the newspaper against OpenAI and Microsoft.
The New York Times accuses OpenAI of using its articles without permission to train AI models. Altman criticized a recent legal demand that OpenAI keep user data from private chats, calling it an unfair breach of user privacy. Despite his criticism, Altman expressed respect for the newspaper but made clear he disagreed with its legal position.
The interview, hosted by New York Times columnist Kevin Roose and tech journalist Casey Newton, included a brief but pointed exchange about the lawsuit. Altman pressed the hosts for their views, but they declined to comment due to their affiliation with the paper.
This confrontation comes amid a growing legal battle between AI companies and media publishers over copyrighted content. Recently, a federal judge sided with OpenAI competitor Anthropic in a similar case, potentially shifting the balance in favor of AI firms.
Altman also spoke about competition in the AI field, revealing that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has tried to lure OpenAI’s top talent with lucrative offers. He joked that Zuckerberg “believes he is superintelligent.”
Regarding OpenAI’s relationship with Microsoft, Altman acknowledged some tension but expressed optimism that their partnership would continue to be valuable.
The discussion also touched on AI safety and mental health concerns. Altman said OpenAI works to prevent users from engaging in harmful conversations with its chatbots and refers at-risk users to professional help. However, he admitted challenges remain in protecting vulnerable users.
Altman’s bold approach highlights the tensions between Silicon Valley and the media industry as AI continues to reshape technology and content creation.
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