• Sam Altman showed up in court as jury selection began in a civil trial between him and Elon Musk.
• Some potential jurors offered unfavorable views about AI — and Musk.
• Musk sued OpenAI, Altman, and OpenAI president Greg Brockman two years ago.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman made an unexpected appearance in a California courtroom Monday as jury selection in his high-stakes legal feud with Elon Musk kicked off.

Altman, who wore a dark-colored suit and white shirt, was spotted inside the Oakland courtroom, where some potential jurors in the federal civil trial shared unfavorable views about artificial intelligence — and Musk, the world's richest man.

"Elon doesn't care about people, just like our president," one prospective juror told US District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.

The man, who works in construction and described himself as a "meme junky" and a "dying breed" who still gets print newspaper subscriptions, added that he thinks Musk only cares about money.

Another prospective juror who works for the city of Oakland said he has a strong opinion about Musk. He said that he would do his "best" to approach the case without bias, even though he called Musk a "jerk" in a pre-trial jury questionnaire.

Musk was not in attendance for day one of the trial between two of the tech industry's most powerful billionaires. Since it is a civil trial, the parties are not required to appear unless they are testifying. Up until now, Musk and Altman have largely left the matter to their lawyers, aside from the occasional online jab.

The Tesla CEO sued OpenAI, Altman, and OpenAI president Greg Brockman two years ago, alleging that they intentionally "deceived" him into cofounding the company with them in 2015.

Musk alleges in his lawsuit that he poured tens of millions into OpenAI to support its founding mission as a nonprofit dedicated to developing AI for the public's benefit, only for that mission to later be abandoned, in part, through the company's partnership with Microsoft. Microsoft is also named as a defendant in Musk's lawsuit.

The lawsuit seeks more than $100 billion in damages, along with sweeping changes to the structure of the $850 billion company behind ChatGPT. The case comes as OpenAI is reportedly preparing for an initial public offering.

Earlier Monday, Musk and OpenAI traded barbs on Musk's X platform about the case, with Musk referring to Altman as "Scam Altman" and OpenAI ripping Musk's lawsuit as a "baseless and jealous bid to derail a competitor."

Musk is expected to testify in the weeks-long trial, along with Altman and other tech execs like Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

Some potential jurors questioned on Monday told the court that they had reservations surrounding AI.

A registered nurse said she doesn't trust AI and isn't a fan of how the rapidly advancing technology is being used in the workplace.

"It's just giving me more work to do," said the woman who explained that her employer uses AI tools to process patient records that she still has to review for errors.

One woman who works in the psychiatric patient care unit at Stanford University said she had some concerns about AI but could approach the case with an open mind.

"I personally don't use it much because I do find that I have to double check everything, and at this point, I might as well do it myself," said the woman, who was ultimately chosen to sit on the jury.

A different juror prospect, a PhD student in genetics, said she has a ChatGPT subscription and uses it, along with Anthropic's Claude, to write code and emails.

Concerns of the juror prospects were also reflected outside the courthouse, where protesters gathered to demonstrate against AI. A person in a robot suit wore a sign that said, "Altman's AI enslaver." A giant inflatable tube figure read: "Elon sucks."

By the end of Monday, nine jurors were selected for the trial. Opening arguments are set to begin Tuesday.

At one point, Musk's attorney, Steven Molo, asked the judge to dismiss a juror prospect who called Musk a "greedy, racist, homophobic piece of garbage" in her questionnaire and another who wrote that Musk is a "world-class jerk."

"Look, the reality is that people don't like him," the judge told Musk's legal team about their client. "But that doesn't mean that Americans, nevertheless, can't have integrity for the judicial process."

• Saks Global filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this year.
• Now the luxury retailer is looking to sell off its corporate jet for $6 million.
• The sale, which requires court approval, would boost Saks' liquidity, the retailer said in a filing.

Bankrupt luxury retailer Saks Global is looking to shed a high-end executive perk — its sole corporate jet.

In a recent court filing, Saks Global, the owner of department stores Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman, detailed its plan to sell its 2003 Gulfstream G400 jet for $6 million to a private buyer.

The jet, which can carry up to 16 passengers and is powered by two Rolls-Royce engines, was primarily used by Saks executives for business travel and to "meet operational needs," attorneys for the retailer said in the Sunday filing.

When the jet was not in use for business purposes, Saks "allowed certain current and former executives and directors" of the company to use the aircraft for personal travel under time-sharing agreements, the court papers said.

The proposed sale, which requires approval from the federal Texas bankruptcy court where Saks filed for Chapter 11, would "enhance" Saks' liquidity "by eliminating unnecessary costs and expenses," the retailer's attorneys wrote in the filing.

Saks hired aviation broker Guardian Jet to market the aircraft after the luxury giant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January, the court filing said.

The broker and Saks negotiated with prospective buyers and ultimately secured the "best and highest sale price" from the buyer, identified in the court documents as Jones Aviations LLC.

Under the terms of the agreement, the buyer would put down a $250,000 refundable deposit. The deal also includes a $210,000 broker fee for Guardian Jet.

A Saks spokesperson told Business Insider in a statement on Tuesday that the retailer's "leadership has made the decision to sell the company's legacy plane as it continues prioritizing the disciplined use of capital."

"This action represents another deliberate step to direct investments toward the areas of the business that will drive meaningful growth for a stronger Saks Global," the spokesperson said.

Saks filed for Chapter 11 on January 13 after missing payments to vendors and building a precarious debt load. At the time, Saks owed hundreds of millions of dollars to creditors, including Chanel and LVMH.

The cost cutting started almost immediately. In February, Saks said it would shutter nearly all of its discount Saks Off Fifth and Neiman Marcus Last Call locations, as well as several Saks Fifth Avenue locations. The next month, the company announced more closures.

Following the move, 15 Saks Fifth Avenue locations and 33 Neiman Marcus locations remain.

The retailer expects to emerge from bankruptcy during the summer.

While Saks said in the Sunday court filing that selling off the Gulfstream jet would "maximize value for the benefit of all creditors," won't cover much. Roughly two weeks of Saks' legal bills in January totaled $7.2 million, court papers showed.

• Savannah Guthrie opened up about her emotional struggle over her mother's disappearance on "Today."
• Guthrie told her "Today" show co-anchor Hoda Kotb that her family is in "agony."
• Authorities believe Savannah Guthrie's mom, Nancy Guthrie, was abducted from her Arizona home.

"Today" show host Savannah Guthrie has opened up about her family's "agony" during her first interview since the disappearance of her mother more than seven weeks ago.

"It is unbearable," Guthrie told her co-anchor Hoda Kotb through tears during a preview of the emotional interview that aired on the "Today" show on Wednesday.

"And to think of what she went through. I wake up every night, in the middle of the night, every night. And in the darkness, I imagine her terror, and it is unthinkable, but those thoughts demand to be thought, and I will not hide my face, but she needs to come home now," Guthrie said of her mom, Nancy Guthrie.

The rest of the interview is set to air in two parts on Thursday and Friday on the NBC morning program.

"As you'll see in the coming days, she talks about so many things. She talks about the investigation, she talks about her faith, and she talks about how she's getting through," Kotb said Wednesday.

Savannah Guthrie has been on hiatus from the "Today" show since her mother's disappearance. A "Today" show spokesperson has previously said she plans to return to co-hosting the morning show at some point.

Authorities believe that the 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her ranch-style home just outside of Tucson, Arizona, in the middle of the night.

The woman was last seen on January 31, when she was dropped off at her home after dinner at her daughter, Annie Guthrie's, house, authorities have said.

Local law enforcement and the FBI have been working to identify the masked and armed man who was captured on footage from Nancy Guthrie's missing Nest doorbell camera the night she vanished.

Early on, investigators found drops of blood on Nancy Guthrie's porch that were later confirmed to be hers.

Last month, the Guthrie family offered up a $1 million reward for the return of Nancy Guthrie, which is on top of the $100,000 that the FBI has already offered for information related to her disappearance.

In an Instagram video post announcing the reward, Savannah Guthrie acknowledged her mother may already be dead, saying, "We also know that she may be lost."

• Two consumer bankruptcy attorneys said they're seeing more younger clients.
• The lawyers cited rising living costs and stagnant wages as drivers of the trend.
• They also said they're seeing more clients with massive debt, thanks to online gambling.

For some young adults crushed by heavy debt loads, bankruptcy has emerged as an escape hatch.

Two consumer bankruptcy attorneys told Business Insider they've seen a noticeable uptick in Gen Z and young millennial clients, ages of 25 and 35, in recent years — with one saying their share has increased severalfold.

The lawyers pointed to soaring living costs, lagging wages, and the ease of racking up credit card debt as key forces behind the trend. Factors like buy now, pay later loans and online betting are accelerating the rate at which some young people spiral into debt, they said.

"We're definitely seeing more young filers, and it's not because they're irresponsible," said Florida bankruptcy attorney Chad Van Horn. "It's because they entered adulthood during one of the most financially distorted environments in decades."

Personal bankruptcy filings in the United States have been on the rise since their COVID pandemic-era low in 2022. Still, they remain far short of the post-Great Recession peak in 2010, when cases topped about 1.5 million.

More than 533,000 individual bankruptcy cases were filed last year, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute, citing data from Epiq Bankruptcy Analytics.

Nearly 333,000 of those 2025 filings were Chapter 7 cases — the most common form of personal bankruptcy — which can erase most unsecured debts, including credit card balances or medical bills.

Chapter 13 filings, which involve a repayment plan to pay down some or all debts, accounted for just over 200,000 cases.

"What we're seeing is sort of the hangover from several years of government stimulus and all the various economic things that have driven up costs and expenses while keeping wages fairly flat," said Ed Boltz, a North Carolina bankruptcy attorney.

High consumer debt for young filers

Although there's no comprehensive, official data source tracking the ages of bankruptcy filers in the US, both Boltz and Van Horn said young adults are now showing up in greater numbers than before, pushing Van Horn's firm to rethink how it markets to clients.

"It's extremely surprising," said Van Horn, adding that 30% to 35% of his firm's roughly 4,000 clients last year were between the ages of 25 and 35. Historically, he said, that age group made up just 5% to 10% of the caseload.

The surge in younger clients has forced Van Horn's law firm to change its marketing strategy, the attorney said.

"We need to be where the 25 to 35 year olds are because they're not necessarily in the same place that the 55 year old is getting their information from," said Van Horn.

As Business Insider has previously reported, a wave of recent TikTok videos shows young people championing bankruptcy as a way to wipe out massive amounts of debt. Some called bankruptcy the "best" decision they've ever made.

Boltz said his firm handled about 2,000 bankruptcy cases in 2025, with about 20% of clients in the 25 to 35 range. He noted that it's unclear whether young adults now represent a larger share of filers overall or whether the increase reflects the broader rise in cases.

Even so, Boltz said his firm has seen the greatest growth in bankruptcy filings from young adults and seniors in recent years.

Young filers often carry significant student loan debt, which is generally not dischargeable in bankruptcy. They also face escalating housing and living costs that put more strain on their budgets, the attorneys said.

Ready access to credit cards, personal loans, and buy now, pay later programs has compounded the problem, making it easy for young people to rack up debt quickly, they said.

"That formula is just a bad formula for Gen Z," said Van Horn, who explained that many once relied on gig work to close budget gaps. "But a lot of them are burning out, and that work isn't paying what it used to."

He said substantial consumer debt is a common factor among his younger clients. And for some, online sports betting has become a major contributor to that debt.

Gambling debts are also on the rise

Both Van Horn and Boltz told Business Insider that they've been seeing a growing number of young clients — men in particular — with tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt accumulated through online gambling.

"The gambling is really the one that has in the last year, year and a half, really taken off," Boltz said, adding, "We've started to see people with $20,000, $30,000, $40,000 of fairly rapid credit card that they've incurred" through online betting.

Van Horn said he's increasingly seen younger people get "addicted to gambling," a trend he believes is being amplified by a culture of FOMO or fear of missing out.

It's the idea, he said, that "everybody's making money, everybody's having fun" and then "you get involved, and you lose all your money."

Popular sports betting companies like DraftKings and FanDuel have recently stopped accepting credit card deposits for bets. DraftKings ended the practice in August, and FanDuel followed earlier this month.

The crypto-based prediction market Polymarket has allowed users to fund their accounts with credit cards since 2024.

"We are seeing a lot more where we have clients who are very young, mid 20s, early 30s, who overwhelmingly tend to be men, who have run up pretty massive credit card debts gambling," said Boltz.

"The apps are explicitly designed to part you from your money."

Are you a young person who has filed for bankruptcy or is considering filing for bankruptcy? Contact this reporter via email at nmusumeci@businessinsider.com.

• More than 1,500 US retail stores and restaurants are set to close by the end of 2026.
• Major chains, including Wendy's and Macy's, are citing efficiency as the reason behind the closures.
• Eddie Bauer is one of the latest companies to announce closures.

Retailers and restaurants are gearing up for another wave of store closures.

It's shaping up to be the continuation of a retail pullback that Business Insider tracked in 2024 and 2025. Major chains, from department stores like Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue to restaurant chains Pizza Hut and Wendy's, have already announced multiyear closure plans that extend into 2026, as have some niche stores.

Some companies, such as Macy's, are closing their physical stores to invest more resources into their online businesses.

In 2025, Business Insider tracked around 4,100 closures as of late December. Retail data and consultant firm Coresight Research predicted earlier in the year that roughly 15,000 retail locations would close in the year.

So far for 2026, Business Insider has identified more than 1,500 planned closures.

See the list of major closures below.

Francesca's: over 400 stores

After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on February 5, apparel retailer Francesca's said it will conduct going-out-of-business sales at all of its roughly 400 stores across the US.

Francesca's previously filed for bankruptcy protection in 2020 before being acquired by TerraMar Capital and Tiger Group.

"This process provides a structured path to pursue the best outcome for all stakeholders," Curt Kroll, CFO, said in a February statement about the bankruptcy. "We remain focused on operating responsibly and supporting our teams, partners, and guests throughout this process."

Wendy's: 300 stores

In a February 13 earnings call, Wendy's interim CEO Ken Cook said the company planned to close underperforming restaurants in the US, representing 5% to 6% of its roughly 6,000 locations. An estimated 5% of Wendy's restaurants would come out to around 300 locations.

Cook told investors to expect the closings to take place in the first half of 2026.

Pizza Hut: 250 stores

Restaurant chain Pizza Hut is set to close 250 underperforming stores in the US during the first half of 2026, its parent company, Yum! Brands, said in February. The reduction comes as part of a program to accelerate the Pizza Hut brand in the long term.

The company said that the 250 targeted closures are a fraction of the 20,000 locations that Yum! Brands operates globally.

Eddie Bauer: 175 stores

Nearly 200 North American Eddie Bauer storefronts are expected to shut down after the operating entity behind the stores failed to find a buyer during its Chapter 11 restructuring.

Liquidation sales have been underway at the 175 Eddie Bauer stores in the US and Canada.

Those store-closing sales are projected to wrap up before April 30, according to court filings in the company's bankruptcy case.

Carter's: 100 stores

Carter's, one of North America's biggest children's and baby apparel retailers, said in October that it plans to close 150 stores across the region over the next three years as leases expire, including about 100 by the end of 2026.

Macy's: 80 stores

In January 2025, Macy's said it planned to close 150 locations through 2026, allowing it to focus on its best-performing locations and online experience. After the closures are complete, about 350 Macy's stores are expected to remain. Macy's closed at least 66 stores in 2025.

Kroger: 60 stores

Grocery giant Kroger said in June 2025 that it planned to close 60 "unprofitable" stores across the US over the next 18 months. The company said in September that it had begun that process.

The company said in its last annual report that it operated 2,731 supermarkets in 35 states and Washington, DC, as of February 2025.

Saks Off 5th: 57 stores

Saks Off 5th, a luxury outlet retailer offering discounted designer brands, plans to close 57 stores in early 2026. It announced plans to close nine of those stores last year, and the rest were announced in January.

Saks Global, the parent company of Saks Off 5th, as well as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early January. The outlet's website, a separate legal entity, is also winding down operations.

In addition to the Saks Off 5th closures, Saks Global is closing five Last Call locations, the off-price Neiman Marcus stores.

Grocery Outlet: 36 stores

Supermarket chain Grocery Outlet is set to close 36 underperforming stores, representing about 6% of its fleet in 2026. CEO Jason Potter told analysts on March 4 that the company had identified stores that no longer had a "viable path to sustained profitability."

The closures come as the grocery chain has been expanding rapidly, particularly in Eastern states. The chain said in November that it planned to end 2025 with 37 new store openings. It plans to open another 30 to 33 net new stores in 2026, Potter said in the March call.

Of the 36 stores closing this year, 24 are located in the Eastern US. The closures make up about 30% of that region's stores, Potter said. He said Grocery Outlet won't be exiting any state completely.

"However, it's clear now that we expanded too quickly and these closures are a direct correction," Potter said.

Grocery Outlet saw a nearly $235 million operating loss and a more than $218 million net loss in its fourth-quarter earnings results.

Torrid: 29 stores

Torrid, a plus-size apparel retailer, told investors in March that it had previously identified 180 unproductive stores, of which it closed 151 locations by the end of 2025. CEO Lisa Harper said the company plans to close the remaining stores in the first half of 2026.

Torrid closed 11 locations in the first quarter of 2026, Harper said.

Allbirds: 23 stores

Shoe brand Allbirds said in January that it would close its remaining full-price stores in the US by the end of February. The company said the closures would enable it to dedicate resources toward its e-commerce business.

As of December 2025, Allbirds' US retail presence consisted of 23 stores.

"By exiting these remaining unprofitable doors, we are taking actions to reduce costs and support the long-term health of the business," said Joe Vernachio, CEO.

In March, Allbirds agreed to sell to American Exchange Group, a New York-based fashion and consumer goods company, for $39 million.

Yankee Candle: 20 stores

Newell Brands said in December 2025 that it would close 20 Yankee Candle stores in the US and Canada beginning in January 2026. The closures were announced alongside the reduction of its workforce by over 900 employees.

"This productivity plan is about taking the next, disciplined step to enhance efficiency, sharpen our strategic focus, and deliver stronger, more consistent performance," CEO Chris Peterson said in a press release.

Saks Fifth Avenue: 18 stores

After filing for bankruptcy in January, Saks Global announced a series of closures.

The first wave was announced in February, with the company saying it would optimize its Saks Fifth Avenue footprint by closing eight locations. In March, it announced that another 10 locations would close.

Those closures leave 15 Saks Fifth Avenue locations remaining.

Neiman Marcus: 4 stores

In addition to many Saks Fifth Avenue and Off Fifth locations, Saks Global closed four Neiman Marcus locations. The company announced one of the closures — a Boston store — in February and another three in March.

REI: 3 stores

REI confirmed to Business Insider that it plans to close three stores, starting with a location in New Jersey, in the first quarter of 2026. Its stores in New York City's SoHo neighborhood and Boston are set to follow in late 2026.

"As markets and customer needs evolve, we must adapt to position the co-op for long-term success," the company said in a statement.

• The nearly 200 remaining Eddie Bauer stores in the US and Canada are expected to close.
• The operating entity behind the North American retail stores failed to find a buyer.
• Store closing sales are projected to end before April 30, according to bankruptcy court documents.

Shoppers will likely soon have to say goodbye to Eddie Bauer's retail stores across the US and Canada.

Nearly 200 North American storefronts of the iconic outdoor apparel chain are expected to shut down after the operating entity behind the stores failed to find a buyer during its Chapter 11 restructuring.

Liquidation sales have been underway at the US and Canadian stores, Eddie Bauer LLC — an entity of retail holding company Catalyst Brands that licenses the rights to operate Eddie Bauer stores across North America — has said in court documents.

Those store-closing sales are projected to wrap up before April 30, according to recent court filings in the company's bankruptcy case.

The Eddie Bauer storefronts span 40 US states and six Canadian provinces, and employ roughly 2,200 people, the court documents say.

A planned March 6 auction for all or part of the North American store operating business was canceled after the company failed to receive any qualified bids, according to court papers filed earlier this month.

"The debtors will continue store-closing sales at all of their brick-and-mortar locations unless and until a more value-maximizing transaction becomes available," the company said in a filing.

Meanwhile, retail real-estate advisory firm RCS Real Estate Advisors said earlier this month that it was actively marketing about 174 Eddie Bauer store leases totaling more than 1 million square feet.

The stores average roughly 6,300 square feet and are located in states including California, New York, New Jersey, and Washington.

"This portfolio represents a rare opportunity to secure legacy retail locations in established centers nationwide," Ivan Friedman, the president and CEO of RCS Real Estate Advisors, said in a statement.

The operating entity behind the stores filed for Chapter 11 in federal bankruptcy court in New Jersey last month amid mounting debt and falling sales.

The bankruptcy does not affect Eddie Bauer's manufacturing, wholesale, or e-commerce operations, nor its retail business outside the US and Canada. Japan is home to several Eddie Bauer stores.

Founded more than a century ago, the Eddie Bauer brand built its reputation on durable outdoor gear and clothing designed to withstand extreme conditions.

Eddie Bauer LLC declined to comment beyond its court filings.