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The federal courtroom in Oakland has become the arena for a high‑profile dispute between two of tech’s most powerful figures, as a jury evaluates whether OpenAI’s transformation violated a founding charitable trust.The High‑Stakes Jury Trial Over OpenAI’s Charitable RootsElon Musk alleges that Sam Altman, OpenAI and its president Greg Brockman broke a 2015 non‑profit agreement by restructuring the firm into a for‑profit venture, effectively “stealing a charity.” Over three weeks, witnesses ranging from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to Musk’s partner Shivon Zilis testified, while both Musk and Altman took the stand under intense cross‑examination.Financial Stakes: $134 bn Claim and a $1 tn IPO TargetMusk seeks the removal of Altman and Brockman and the reversal of OpenAI’s for‑profit restructuring.The lawsuit demands the redistribution of $134 bn from OpenAI’s for‑profit arm to its non‑profit entity.OpenAI is planning a public listing later this year with a projected valuation of $1 tn.Industry Ripple Effects: Trust, Partnerships, and Regulatory ScrutinyThe trial has exposed deep fissures in Silicon Valley’s collaborative ecosystem. Microsoft’s involvement highlights the risk for major partners if governance disputes spill over into legal battles. Moreover, the case underscores growing regulatory interest in how AI firms manage charitable commitments and profit motives.Looking Ahead: Potential Verdicts and Their ConsequencesIf the jury finds OpenAI liable, the company could face a forced unwind of its for‑profit structure, jeopardizing the upcoming IPO and shaking investor confidence across the AI sector. Conversely, a verdict for OpenAI would reinforce the legitimacy of its hybrid model and could embolden other AI startups to pursue similar profit‑driven pathways while maintaining charitable arms.

The Documentary’s Long Road to CannesIn 1972 William Greaves filmed a four‑hour cocktail party at Duke Ellington’s Harlem townhouse, gathering the last surviving figures of the Harlem Renaissance. Though the footage was intended for a feature titled From These Roots, it remained unfinished for 50 years. The project finally resurfaced when Greaves’ son David and granddaughter Liani completed the edit, earning a spot in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight in 2026. Restoring 60,000 Feet of 16mm FilmOriginal shoot: 60,000 feet of 16mm film captured.Restoration: Digitisation and colour correction undertaken by David and Liani Greaves.Archival work: Material passed from William to his widow Louise Greaves, then to the next generation after her death in 2023. Voices of the Harlem Renaissance ResurfaceThe film features painters, poets, musicians and activists such as Aaron Douglas, Richard Bruce Nugent, Arna Bontemps, Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle, James Van Der Zee and Ida Mae Cullen. Their conversations drift from jazz’s revolutionary impact to debates over terminology—whether to use “Negro” or “Afro‑American”—mirroring discussions that persist today. Contemporary Resonance: Race, Memory, and Global PoliticsDavid Greaves draws parallels between historic footage of Haile Selassie’s 1936 appeal to the League of Nations and modern leaders like Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The documentary also confronts America’s ongoing racial violence, juxtaposing archival anti‑lynching poetry with present‑day activism, underscoring how three generations are still voting on the same struggle. Looking Ahead: Release Plans and Cultural LegacyFollowing its Cannes debut, the team aims to release the full film ahead of William Greaves’ centenary in October 2026, with retrospectives slated for New York and the Barbican in London. Critics such as Richard Brody have already hailed it as “one of the greatest talking pictures,” positioning the documentary to cement Greaves’ reputation as a chronicler of African‑American history.

The Personal Mission Behind the InvestmentReed Jobs, son of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, is bringing his oncology-focused venture capital fund Yosemite to the UK, seeking investment opportunities in cancer care. The 34-year-old's mission is deeply personal, stemming from witnessing his father's death from a rare form of pancreatic cancer in 2011 at age 56. "I saw my dad have cancer when I was a kid, and unfortunately that happens far too often. And that really motivated me to try to transform outcomes for other people out there," Jobs explains.Yosemite's Healthcare Investment StrategyThe San Francisco-based venture fund, named after the California national park where his parents married, manages over $1 billion in assets and has already invested in approximately 20 healthcare startups. Yosemite focuses on innovative approaches to cancer treatment, including gene therapy, cancer vaccines, radiopharmaceuticals, and artificial intelligence. Notable investments include Tune Therapeutics, Azalea Therapeutics, Chai Discovery, and Sage Care in the US, with several UK companies in their portfolio that haven't been publicly announced.Financial Backing and International PartnershipsYosemite receives investment from LifeArc, a UK not-for-profit group focused on rare diseases that was established in 2000 as part of the UK's Medical Research Council. The fund also has partnerships with Oxford and Cambridge universities, where it has provided philanthropic grants. Additional backing comes from US biotech company Amgen, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and billionaire investor John Doerr, following a fundraiser earlier this year.UK's Position in Global Cancer Research"Research here is world class," Jobs states during his visit to London for a life sciences conference hosted by LifeArc. The UK's strong academic institutions and research environment make it an attractive location for healthcare investment. Yosemite's international investment strategy includes the UK, where the fund aims to connect with pharmaceutical partners and academics to advance cancer treatment possibilities.Future Vision for Cancer TreatmentJobs envisions a future where cancer shifts from being an "end-stage disease" to an illness that is diagnosed early, monitored, and treated—similar to advances made with HIV and cardiovascular disease. "Today far too many cancers are either diagnosed incidentally, because there's no good early biomarker, or only diagnosed once they are metastatic and extremely advanced," he notes. The fund is particularly focused on immunotherapy, which Jobs identifies as "one of the areas I think is going to have the most promise for patients in the next couple of decades."

The Unexpected EncounterA beekeeper described a moment when he came across a swarm of honey bees hanging from a plum tree in the form of a solid ball. The swarm, guided by pheromones, had formed around the queen bee, with thousands of worker bees joining her.The Science Behind the SwarmThe swarm was part of the reproductive cycle of the honey bees, where a new queen and a large number of worker bees leave the mother colony to find a new habitation. Despite the large number of stinging insects involved, the swarm is focused on finding a new home and is not interested in attacking people unless provoked.The Beekeeper's OpportunityFor beekeepers, a settled swarm is an opportunity to fill a hive, particularly valuable in early summer when it has time to establish and become productive. The old rhyme 'A swarm in May is worth a load of hay' highlights the value of swarms during this time. The beekeeper in this case was able to successfully transfer the swarm to a hive, providing a new home for the bees.The Process of Hiving the SwarmThe beekeeper approached the swarm with a wicker basket and secateurs, cutting the supporting twig to cause the bees to drop into the basket. He then transferred the bees to a prepared hive in his apiary, using a white cloth as a ramp to the entrance. The bees dutifully crawled up and into their new home, and the beekeeper hoped they would like it and stay.

A Global Celebration of Visual Storytelling For the 15th installment of the annual Photoville festival, which sees more than 90 exhibits of photographic portfolios from all around the world, festival co-founder Sam Barzilay is thinking about apples – specifically the bizarre and at times cosmic-looking ones in the exhibit Old Apples. "I was so delighted it got selected," he enthusiastically shared. "It's the most whimsical thing we have, it's about apples and how there are no two apples in nature that are the same." Diverse Exhibitions Reflect Contemporary Society With exhibitions celebrating everything from cumbia music to the many ways people play soccer globally and even a fox sanctuary, Photoville may be more whimsical than ever, but the show also delivers a satisfying range of the hard-hitting reportage and documentation that have made prior years so vital. Collections this year run the gamut from turbocharged wildfires in the western US to how racial inequalities affect water access to the ways in which ICE has brought chaos to many American communities. Amplifying Marginalized Voices Through Photography In light of efforts by the Trump administration to erase the reality of trans people, Photoville offers two exhibits that attest to the enduring nature of trans lives. Special Girls, which draws from the mammoth archive of photographer Remsen Wolff, shows off 1990s-era photos of trans women, as well as gender nonconforming individuals such as crossdressers and drag queens. "The world has changed dramatically from then to today," said Barzilay, "this is a celebration of the fact that this is not a new idea." Documenting Human Resilience in Challenging Circumstances Lexi Parra's portfolio of work The Avillas documents what happens after the titular family's matriarch self-deports amid terrifying threats directed toward immigrants in the United States by the Trump administration. The photos make for an extremely difficult reminder of what happens when a beloved member of a family is torn away from it. "It's looking at their lives today as they try to figure out what to do next," said Barzilay. The extremely moving collection Puppies Behind Bars is the fruit of the nearly two years that photographers Ashley Gilbertson and Ava Pellor spent in the men's maximum security Green Haven, documenting the titular program wherein those incarcerated raise puppies to become service dogs. "The dogs humanize an environment that's devoid of all humanity," said Gilbertson. "It gives men who have committed grave crimes against society a chance to do something, it gives men a chance to show weakness and vulnerability to be emotionally open and playful, it gives them a sense of responsibility." Cultural Preservation Through Visual Documentation The Women's Grass by Blackfeet Nation photographer Whitney Snow documents that intricate web of cultural knowledge and practice that has grown around sweetgrass. Long used by the Blackfeet in both religious ceremonies and as medicine, the plant is the province of the tribe's women, who have passed down knowledge of sweetgrass from generation to generation. "Women are held to a very high regard in our society," Snow said. "To have plant knowledge like that is considered very prestigious." The Future of Documentary Photography Festivals As Photoville continues to grow in its 15th year, it represents a vital platform for photographers addressing pressing social issues while also celebrating the beauty and diversity of human experience. The festival's ability to balance whimsical, light-hearted exhibitions with profound social commentary demonstrates the power of photography to both comfort and challenge viewers. In an increasingly polarized world, events like Photoville provide spaces where diverse perspectives can be shared and understood, suggesting that documentary photography festivals will continue to play an essential role in fostering empathy and understanding in the years to come.

Lead: Valie Export’s Death Marks End of a Pioneering EraThe Austrian performance artist and filmmaker Valie Export passed away in Vienna on May 15, 2026, just three days shy of her 86th birthday. Her death closes a chapter on a career that consistently challenged the male gaze and redefined feminist expression in contemporary art.Groundbreaking Performances that Redefined the Male GazeExport’s early work shocked and fascinated audiences. In 1968 she staged "Tap and Touch Cinema", strapping a miniature theatre stage to her chest and inviting passers‑by to touch her bare breasts through a curtain, while a megaphone‑wielding colleague timed each action. The 1980 Venice Biennale centerpiece "Birth Bed" featured an oversized female abdomen, neon lights emanating from a vulva, and a TV broadcasting a Catholic mass, confronting patriarchal power structures head‑on.Key Milestones and Numbers in Export’s Career1940: Born Waltraud Lehner in Linz, Austria.1967: Adopted the name Valie Export (nickname + cigarette brand).1968: Co‑founded the Austrian Filmmakers Cooperative.1970: Faced pornography charges; custody of her daughter briefly withdrawn.1977 & 2007: Exhibited at Kassel’s documenta.1980: First female artist (with Maria Lassnig) to fill the Austrian pavilion at the Venice Biennale.1985: Feature film The Practice of Love nominated for the Golden Bear at Berlin.1995‑2005: Professor of multimedia and performance at the Academy of Media Arts, Cologne.2015: Linz opened the Valie Export Centre for Media and Performance Art.Impact on Feminist Art and Contemporary CultureCritics and curators, including gallerist Thaddaeus Ropac, describe Export as “one of the most visionary feminist artists” of post‑war Europe. Her interventions exposed the objectification of the female body, influencing artists such as Marina Abramović, who re‑enacted Export’s “Genital Panic” in 2005 at the Guggenheim. Museums worldwide now feature her work as a cornerstone of feminist art history.Looking Ahead: Preservation and Influence of Export’s WorkWith the establishment of the Linz centre and ongoing retrospectives, Export’s oeuvre is set to remain a reference point for future generations. Scholars anticipate new scholarly editions of her performances, while digital archives aim to make her interventions accessible to a global audience, ensuring that her challenge to patriarchal structures endures beyond her lifetime.

A Global Folk Revival EmergesMarisa Anderson has released "The Anthology of UnAmerican Folk Music," a groundbreaking collection that interprets folk tunes from Southeast Asia, Soviet Russia, and Islamic/Arabic worlds. The album represents a significant expansion beyond the boundaries of American folk music, inspired by the archives of legendary collector Harry Smith.Rediscovering Musical ArchivesBehind this gorgeous collection lies the legacy of two Americans: the peyote-dropping 78rpm collector Harry Smith (whose 1952 Anthology of American Folk Music presented folk, blues and country recordings from the 1920s and 1930s) and the exploratory guitarist Marisa Anderson. In 2023, she gained access to Smith's shuttered archives, discovering hours of non-American music before learning to perform and share it.Cultural Translation Through MusicAnderson interprets nine tunes from regions shaped by major US conflicts since her birth in 1970. While her liner notes track what is lost and found when translating these compositions, their universal musicality still cuts through. The opener Quodlibet is a beautiful, intricate minor-key medley of Uzbek tunes originally performed on the dambura (a fretless lute), on which Anderson adds bluegrass techniques to counter her inability to play quarter-tones on her guitar.Musical Fusion TechniquesThe album showcases Anderson's innovative approach to blending musical traditions. Her take on a qawwali vocal tune, Hamd, features stacked guitar layers ringing with warmth and emotion. For Sarvi Simin, a shimmering tune from Soviet-era Afghanistan, Gisela Rodríguez Fernández adds violin. In Yemeni tune Zar, intended to exorcise evil spirits from the sick, Anderson and Fernández constantly rearrange five notes without repetition. Dark ambient moods are conjured in Pair of Duduk, on which Anderson shifts the drones of Armenian woodwinds onto reverb-heavy guitar and bassy synths.Bridging Musical CulturesIn her liner notes, Anderson rightly questions how porous far-flung musical cultures really are. The album constantly challenges conventional boundaries between musical traditions, suggesting that contemporary classical composers may have been influenced by these global folk traditions. This approach represents a significant shift in how folk music can be reimagined and recontextualized for contemporary audiences.The Future of Global Folk MusicAnderson's work opens new possibilities for folk music preservation and interpretation. By drawing from diverse musical traditions and techniques, she demonstrates how folk music can continue to evolve while honoring its roots. The Anthology of UnAmerican Folk Music Vol 1 stands as both a tribute to Harry Smith's legacy and a bold step forward in global musical appreciation, suggesting that the future of folk music lies in its increasingly interconnected global nature.

Closing arguments were presented Thursday in the federal courtroom in Oakland, bringing the high‑profile lawsuit filed by Elon Musk against Sam Altman and OpenAI to its final stage. A nine‑person jury will soon decide whether the AI company and its leadership breached a founding agreement and must repay $134 billion. Closing Arguments Focus on Governance and Trust Attorney Steven Molo for Musk emphasized alleged dishonesty by Altman, using vivid analogies to question his credibility. He urged jurors to view Altman’s statements as a “scary‑looking bridge” built on a shaky version of the truth. Musk’s side argues that OpenAI’s shift from a non‑profit to a for‑profit structure violated an unwritten founding pact. OpenAI’s counsel, led by Sarah Eddy and William Savitt, countered that no explicit contract existed and that Musk was aware of the for‑profit plans as early as 2017. They highlighted testimony from Musk’s partner Shivon Zilis, who could not recall any binding conditions on his funding, and argued the claims fall outside the statute of limitations. Financial Stakes: $1 trillion Valuation and $134 billion Claim OpenAI is preparing an IPO later this year with a projected valuation of $1 trillion. Musk seeks the removal of Greg Brockman and Altman, a reversal of the for‑profit structure, and the redistribution of $134 billion from the for‑profit arm to the non‑profit entity. The outcome could affect investor confidence in high‑growth AI startups and set precedents for charitable‑trust litigation. Impact on Silicon Valley’s AI Ecosystem The trial has become a litmus test for how AI ventures balance profit motives with public‑benefit missions. A verdict against OpenAI could force other AI firms to re‑examine governance frameworks, potentially slowing fundraising and IPO timelines. Conversely, a ruling in OpenAI’s favor may reinforce the legitimacy of hybrid non‑profit/for‑profit models that dominate the sector. Potential Outcomes and Future Legal Landscape If the jury finds liability, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will determine remedies, which could include restructuring mandates or monetary restitution. Such a decision would likely trigger increased regulatory scrutiny of AI companies’ charitable commitments and could inspire similar lawsuits from other early investors. Should the jury side with OpenAI, the case may close a chapter on Musk’s legal challenge but leave open broader debates about AI governance and the role of billionaire backers.

The LeadWirestock, a company that transitioned from stock photography to AI data provision, has secured $23 million in Series A funding to expand its multi-modal data supply business for AI labs. The company now serves six of the largest foundation model makers and has built a platform with over 700,000 artists and designers contributing creative assets.The Creative Data TransformationWirestock previously helped photographers distribute and sell their work on stock photography services like Shutterstock. In 2023, the company pivoted to becoming a data provider, supplying datasets of images, videos, design assets, and gaming and 3D content to AI labs. The platform operates similarly to freelance marketplaces like Fiverr, with artists completing tasks for data collection.Financial Growth and Market PositionThe $23 million Series A round, led by Nava Ventures with participation from SBVP (co-founded by Sheryl Sandberg), Formula VC, and I2BF Ventures, brings Wirestock's total capital raised to approximately $26 million. The company currently has an annual run-rate revenue of $40 million and has paid out $15 million to its contributors. Wirestock employs 60 people and will use the new funding to hire for research, engineering, and product roles.The Creative AI Data Market ExpansionDemand for data supply services is soaring as AI labs compete to enhance their models. Companies like Surge, Scale AI, and Mercor have built billion-dollar businesses on dataset demand, while new startups such as Micro1, Human Archive, and Human Native AI also partner with top AI model makers. Wirestock focuses specifically on providing data for creative use cases like image and video generation, with plans to expand into audio and music modalities.Future of Multi-Modal Data in AI DevelopmentLooking ahead, Wirestock is building enterprise software for AI labs to collaborate on datasets and plans to continue expanding its creative asset offerings. Freddie Martignetti, founder of Nava Ventures, emphasized the importance of multi-modal data for creating more human-like AI systems. As AI models evolve, the availability and quality of diverse training data will remain critical differentiators in the competitive AI landscape.