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By Sean O'Driscoll
Senior Crime and Courts Reporter
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The sister of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has claimed he sexually abused her for nine years when she was a child.
In a lawsuit filed in a Missouri federal court on Monday, Ann, or Annie, Altman alleges that Sam Altman sexually abused her between 1997 and 2006. The abuse is alleged to have occurred in the family home in Clayton, Missouri, beginning when she was three and he was 12.
Her lawsuit feeds into a wider narrative about alleged sexual abuse by high profile men.
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Altman strongly denies any wrongdoing and his mother and two brothers are supporting him. Newsweek sought email comment from Ann Altman's attorney on Wednesday.
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Her Illinois-based attorney, Ryan Mahoney, specializes in sexual harassment and sexual assault cases.
The lawsuit states that, if a jury finds Altman liable, the plaintiff is seeking damages "in excess of $75,000," the standard language used to lodge a case in a federal district court.
In reality, plaintiffs will often seek millions of dollars in cases where the allegations are of such a serious nature.
Altman's organization, Open AI, is responsible for ChatGPT, the world's leading artificial intelligence platform.
The online dictionary Britannica defines artificial intelligence as "the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings" and it has the potential to transform the global economy.
What People Are Saying
Sam Altman released a joint statement with his mother, Connie, and his brothers, Max and Jack, strongly denying the allegations and claiming that Ann has mental health problems.
"Our family loves Annie and is very concerned about her well-being. Caring for a family member who faces mental health challenges is incredibly difficult," it states.
"Annie has made deeply hurtful and entirely untrue claims about our family, and especially Sam," the statement reads. "We've chosen not to respond publicly, out of respect for her privacy and our own. However, she has now taken legal action against Sam, and we feel we have no choice but to address this."
It adds that "this situation causes immense pain to our entire family," and that Ann Altman "refuses conventional treatment and lashes out at family members who are genuinely trying to help."
The lawsuit states that "at all times relevant herein, Defendant, Sam Altman, groomed and manipulated Plaintiff, Ann Altman, into believing the aforementioned sexual acts were her idea, despite the fact she was under the age of five years old when the sexual abuse began and Defendant was nearly a teenager."
It states that the alleged abuse has left Ann Altman with "severe emotional distress, mental anguish, and depression, which is expected to continue into the future."
What Happens Next
Sam Altman's lawyers will file a response in court, likely seeking summary judgement in his favor.
If the judge does not grant summary judgement, the case will move to pre-trial motions and disclosure.
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