Sam Altman and Elon Musk are facing off in a high-stakes trial that could alter the future of OpenAI and its most well-known product, ChatGPT. In 2024, Musk filed a lawsuit accusing OpenAI of abandoning its founding mission of developing AI to benefit humanity and shifting focus to boosting profits instead.
The trial began with jury selection on April 27th, before Elon Musk took the stand on Tuesday as the first witness called, portraying his interest in founding OpenAI as an effort to help save humanity, before returning to the stand on Wednesday, and again for a third day of testimony on Thursday.
Musk was a cofounder of OpenAI and claims that Altman and cofounder Greg Brockman tricked him into giving the company money, only to turn their backs on their original goal. However, OpenAI says that “This lawsuit has always been a baseless and jealous bid to derail a competitor” in a bid to boost Musk’s own SpaceX / xAI / X companies that have launched Grok as a competitor to ChatGPT.
In his lawsuit, Musk is asking for the removal of Altman and Brockman, and for OpenAI to stop operating as a public benefit corporation. Musk has also demanded that OpenAI’s nonprofit receive up to $150 billion in damages he’s asking for if he wins the case.
Here’s all the latest on the trial between Musk and Altman:
Birchall has just been asked about the four Teslas.
Birchall testifies about Musk’s contributions to OpenAI.
A woman in the gallery has lowered a sleep mask over her eyes and is attempting to sleep.
Musk steps down. He may be recalled.
We are on re-cross. Musk is getting testy again.
The Microsoft investment comes back up.
We’re in break — and I just checked out something interesting.
Elon Musk’s robot army definitely will not kill you.
Musk insists he wasn’t kneecapping OpenAI.
Musk seems notably more subdued today.
“At least change the name,” Musk says he told Altman.
An “ongoing conversation” around open source.
We’re still talking about whether Musk read the term sheet.
Musk has just entered the courtroom.
“Issues of extinction are excluded.”
Elon Musk’s worst enemy in court is Elon Musk
Unfortunately we will not be talking about safety details of any specific product.
The jury is leaving for the day. “I suspect it’s a nice day out there,” YGR says.
Mechahitler might be a bad look for the AI safety defender.
Musk’s broader AI safety commitment (or lack thereof) comes up.
Did Musk even read the OpenAI term sheet?
Musk asked Shivon Zilis to stay ‘close and friendly’ with OpenAI to keep info flowing.
Musk says xAI probably won’t be the first to get to AGI.
We’re back from a break, talking about SpaceX and xAI.
Don’t worry about Tesla’s robot army!
“You mostly do unfair questions.”
“Will you answer my question?”
Musk’s desire for control comes up again.
All the evidence unveiled so far in Musk v. Altman
Did Musk initially envision OpenAI as a corporation?
Musk is being combative on cross already
“I did say that I would commit up to a billion dollars, yes.”
Is Tesla really not working on AGI?
Musk is returning to the stand.
At times, being a judge is much like being a kindergarden teacher.
“What’s going on here this is a bait and switch.”
A Musk-Altman spat about Microsoft.
Musk really cannot help himself.
“Capped profit” wasn’t an issue, even when Microsoft got involved.
Musk is more on his game today.
“I actually was a fool who provided free funding for them to create a startup.”
More discussion of who would own OpenAI.
“I don’t lose my temper,” says Elon Musk.
“2017 was a hard year, and we’ve made mistakes.”
“I formed many for-profit tech companies, and could have done so with OAI.”
Sam Altman has just entered the room, right ahead of the jury.
A member of the public just got dressed down by YGR about taking photos.
Musk v Altman et al. is back in session.
In naming OpenAI, Elon Musk worried anything related to the Turing Test could mean bad PR.
Elon Musk appeared more petty than prepared
YGR scolds OpenAI for taking inconsistent positions on the origin of its name.
Elon Musk tells the jury that all he wants to do is save humanity
Apparently OpenAI could have had an ICO.
“I was not averse to a small for-profit,” Musk says.
We’re reading emails between Musk and Jensen Huang.
Musk says nonprofit was non-negotiable for OpenAI.
We’re at the founding of OpenAI.
Musk says he would have created something like OpenAI on his own.
Musk recalls meeting Sam Altman.
Sam Altman left during a break, but Elon Musk’s lawyer didn’t notice.
“Here we are in 2026 and AI is scary smart.”
“I have extreme concerns about AI,” says Musk.
AI will be as smart as ‘any human as soon as next year.’
Musk claims he has time for SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, and the Boring Company because he works a lot.
Musk is telling the jury he (co)founded Tesla.
Neuralink’s long-term goal is… AI?
Elon Musk takes the stand in high-profile trial against OpenAI
Elon Musk will be the first witness in Musk v. Altman.
“Microsoft unlocked with OpenAI a virtuous cycle.”
“We are here because Mr Musk didn’t get his way at OpenAI.”
OpenAI lawyers argue that Elon was right in the middle of discussions about a for-profit pivot.
“Musk was furious that OpenAI succeeded.”
OpenAI: Musk’s lawsuit is a “pageant of hypocrisy.”
Sam Altman’s “related party conflicted transactions” are how he made money on OpenAI, Molo says.
OpenAI is like a museum store that has looted the Picassos and pocketed the profits.
AGI might be out of fashion in the AI world, but it will be at the center of this trial
“The defendants in this case stole a charity.”
Good morning from the Musk v Altman line outside the courtroom.
Jury selection in Musk v. Altman: ‘People don’t like him’
Elon Musk’s lawyer tried to get some jurors thrown out for disliking Musk.
Apparently things are exciting outside.
We have gone through the first 20 potential jurors.
The Elon Musk vs. OpenAI trial starts today.
Elon Musk drops fraud claims against OpenAI and Sam Altman before trial.
Musk vs. Altman is here, and it’s going to get messy
Elon Musk is about to be a very busy boy!
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Elon Musk is suing OpenAI and Sam Altman again
