During an interview with Tucker Carlson this week, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, was confronted with Carlson’s assertion regarding the death of former OpenAI researcher Suchir Balaji. Carlson claimed that Balaji had been “definitely murdered,” despite the San Francisco police ruling his November 2024 death a suicide. This judgement followed Balaji’s online statements and comments made in a New York Times piece that criticized OpenAI for potential copyright infringements.
In a tense exchange about 30 minutes into the discussion, Carlson articulated his reasons for this theory, referencing claims from Balaji’s mother that he was murdered at the behest of Altman. Altman responded by referencing the police investigation and expressed his discontent with having to defend himself against such allegations, stating, “I feel strange and sad debating this, and having to defend myself seems totally crazy, and you are a little bit accusing me,” to which Carlson countered that wasn’t his intent.
Balaji had previously asserted that his analysis indicated OpenAI’s use of copyrighted materials was unlawful and detrimental to the internet. He was scheduled to testify against OpenAI in a lawsuit initiated by the Times alongside Microsoft. However, intellectual property attorneys commented in a report by Fortune that his interpretations of copyright law were flawed, noting he had not disclosed new internal information about the company, unlike some former employees who had become whistleblowers.
Following Balaji’s death, his mother has publicly expressed her conviction that he was murdered to advance the interests of OpenAI and other tech firms. She cites the lack of a suicide note and the opinions of experts she consulted. Earlier this year, she appeared on Carlson’s show in an episode titled “Mother of Likely Murdered OpenAI Whistleblower Reveals All, Calls for Investigation of Sam Altman.” Since Balaji’s passing, her perspective has garnered support from figures such as Elon Musk and a range of political leaders.
A segment of the interview can be viewed here, showcasing key exchanges between Carlson and Altman:
Carlson: “…he was definitely murdered, I think… there were signs of a struggle, of course. The surveillance camera, the wires had been cut. He had just ordered take-out food, come back from a vacation with his friends on Catalina Island. No indication at all that he was suicidal. No note and no behavior. He had just spoken to a family member on the phone.
And then he’s found dead with blood in multiple rooms. So that’s impossible. Seems really obvious he was murdered. Have you talked to the authorities about it?”
Altman: I have not talked to the authorities about it.
Carlson: “Um, and his mother claims he was murdered on your orders.”
Altman: “Do you believe that?”
Carlson: “I- I’m, Well, I’m I’m asking.”
Altman: “I mean… you, you just said it, so do you, do you believe that?
Carlson: “I think that it is, um, worth looking into. And I don’t… I mean, if a guy comes out and accuses your company of committing crimes, I have no idea if that’s true or not, of course. Um, and then he is found killed, and there are signs of a struggle. I… I don’t think it’s worth dismissing it… I don’t think we should say, well, he killed himself when there’s no evidence that the guy was depressed at all. Um, I think… and if he was your friend, I would think he would want to speak to his mom or…
Altman: “I did offer, she didn’t want to.”
Carlson: “So, do you feel that, you know, when people look at that and they’re like, you know, it’s possible that happened. Do you feel that that reflects the worries they have about what’s happening here? Like people are afraid that this is like…”
Altman: “I haven’t done too many interviews where I’ve been accused of, like…”
Carlson: “Oh, I’m not accusing you at all. I’m just saying his mother says that.”
