Sam Altman, the founder of the wildly popular AI generator software ChatGPT is denying the allegation that he sexually assaulted his younger sister, Ann Altman.
Ann filed a disturbingly detailed lawsuit against her brother on the 6th of January in a US District Court in the Eastern District of Missouri. In it, Ann alleges that her brother regularly abused her between 1997 and 2006 with the abuse starting as early as when she was three years old, when Mr. Altman was 12.
Altman rose to global recognition as the chief executive of OpenAI, the firm that introduced the power of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to the general public.
Soon after Anne filed her lawsuit, Sam, his mother, and his two brothers filed a joint statement that vehemently denied the allegations, and instead highlighted Ann’s struggles with mental health as a likely source of the allegations.
The family statement, which was shared on X, read in part, "Our family loves Annie and is very concerned about her well-being. Caring for a family member who faces mental health challenges is very difficult.” The statement continues, "Over the years, we've tried in many ways to support Annie and help her find stability, following professional advice on how to be supportive without enabling harmful behaviors."
The Altman family goes on to explain that they have financially supported Ann in an attempt to help get her the care she needed and that the accusations against Sam have “caused immense pain to our entire family.”
The new lawsuit marks the first formal complaint Ann has taken against her older brother, but it is not the first time she has made such claims against him. In 2021, Ann shared a post on X in which she said there were other victims. She wrote, "I'm seeking people to join me in pursuing legal justice, safety for others in the future, and group healing. Please message me with any information, you can remain anonymous however you feel safe."
In addition to her older brother Sam, Ann has also accused her other brother Jack of abusing her as well, although her lawsuit only names Sam Altman. In another post from 2021, Anne wrote on X, “I experienced sexual, physical, emotional, verbal, financial, and technological abuse from my biological siblings, mostly Sam Altman and some from Jack Altman.”
Then again in 2023, Ann posted online, “I’m not four years old with a 13-year-old “brother” climbing into my bed non-consensually. (You’re welcome for helping you figure out your sexuality). I’ve finally accepted that you’ve always been and always will be more scared of me than I've been of you.”
The complaint is graphic, detailing instances in which her older brother battered, molested, sodomized, and sexually abused her.
The lawsuit argues, “As a direct and proximate result of the foregoing acts of sexual assault,” Ann experienced “severe emotional distress, mental anguish, and depression, which is expected to continue into the future.”
Ann, who is currently living in Hawaii, says the abuse occurred when the family was living in their Clayton, Missouri home.
In Missouri, adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse can file a civil lawsuit within ten years of their 21st birthday or within three years of discovering an illness or injury was caused by childhood sexual abuse, whichever is later. Missouri SB 416 (2023) and similar proposed legislation would remove that statute of limitations and allow such lawsuits to be filed at any time, but none of those to date have been enacted. Anne was 30 when she filed her lawsuit, which puts her claim inside the statute of limitations as it currently exists.
Anne is seeking “in excess of $75,000” in damages, the standard “amount in controversy” language used to pursue a case in federal district court. However, Ann is asking the court to determine appropriate damages, which may spill over to the hundreds of thousands or higher if she is able to prove her claims. In high-profile child sexual assault cases, damages can be extensive, often ticking into the millions.
