Key Moments in Elon Musk’s trial against Sam Altman
Key Moments in Elon Musk’s trial against Sam Altman
https://www.forbes.com.au/news/investing/key-moments-in-elon-musks-trial-against-sam-altman/
Publish Date: 2026-04-29 19:31:00
Source Domain: www.forbes.com.au
- Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, testified against OpenAI in a high-profile trial, saying he was a “fool” for providing millions in funding, essentially offering “free funding” to the company that has grown to an estimated $800 billion.
- Musk accused OpenAI of breaking its initial nonprofit promise to function as a charity that develops technology for the benefit of humanity, stating it has now switched to a for-profit model focused on maximizing profits.
- He expressed regret over not forming more for-profit tech companies himself, including with OpenAI, where he believed he contributed significantly, including naming the company and using his reputation.
- Musk filed a lawsuit in 2024 against OpenAI, its CEO Sam Altman, and Microsoft, alleging breach of the nonprofit commitment, unjust enrichment, and fraud. He seeks $150 billion in damages for a charitable arm, and the removal of Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman from their leadership roles.
- During his testimony, Musk had a contentious exchange with OpenAI’s counsel, portraying the questioning as an attempt to “trick” him. He emphasized that without his contributions, the company would not exist, and argued he should have had substantial ownership rights.
- Despite the dismissal of Musk’s fraud claims, his accusations of breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment are proceeding to trial.
- Musk’s lawsuit suggests a lawsuit motivated by jealousy, as OpenAI continued to succeed independently of him.
- Forbes reports indicate Musk has an estimated net worth of $775 billion and cofounded both Tesla and SpaceX. In contrast, Altman, valued at approximately $3.4 billion, owns no equity in OpenAI.
