Musk vs. Altman: Inside the High-Stakes OpenAI Trial That Ended in Verdict
· Elizabeth Lopatto
A jury has dismissed all charges in Elon Musk’s lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAI, ruling that the statute of limitations had expired.…
A jury has dismissed all charges in Elon Musk’s lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAI, ruling that the statute of limitations had expired. Musk, an OpenAI cofounder, accused Altman and president Greg Brockman of tricking him into donating millions, then abandoning the nonprofit’s original mission to benefit humanity in favor of chasing profits. OpenAI argued the lawsuit was a “baseless and jealous bid to derail a competitor” and boost Musk’s own xAI, which makes the rival chatbot Grok. The trial lasted nearly a month and featured testimony from Musk, Altman, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and Shivon Zilis, a former OpenAI board member who shares children with Musk.
The jury deliberated for just a couple hours before returning their verdict. Musk had asked the court to remove Altman and Brockman and force OpenAI to stop operating as a public benefit corporation. But the judge ultimately sided with the clock. Key moments from the trial included Altman describing Musk’s “control issues” and telling the court he never would have attempted OpenAI if he knew how painful it would be. Musk, meanwhile, insisted he was just trying to save humanity and accused OpenAI of pulling a “bait and switch.”
The case revealed messy internal dynamics: early emails showed tension over control and ownership, and witnesses described Musk’s combative management style. Microsoft’s deep involvement in OpenAI was a recurring theme, with the company keen to distance itself from the fight. In the end, the statute of limitations saved OpenAI from the verdict, but the trial laid bare the fractures between its founders and raised real questions about who should steer powerful AI companies. The fight over the soul of OpenAI is far from over, even if this round is done.