Elon Musk v. Sam Altman live updates: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to testify as week 3 of trial begins
Publish Date: 2026-05-11 10:09:00
Source Domain: abc7news.com
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Key Witness: Shivon Zilis, a former board member of OpenAI and close aide to Elon Musk, provided testimony that is crucial for both the plaintiff and the defendants in Musk’s lawsuit.
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Board Activities: During her service from 2020 to 2023, Zilis voted in favor of a significant 2023 contract between Microsoft and OpenAI, investing $10 billion in exchange for greater rights to some of its intellectual property.
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Role and Relationship: Zilis was involved with both Musk’s and OpenAI’s operations, having a long-standing, complex relationship with Musk, including having four children with him.
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Capital Raising Discussions: Zilis was a participant in the critical discussions between 2017 and 2018 surrounding strategies to raise capital for OpenAI’s increasing needs, though no final decisions were reached.
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Fiduciary Duties Breach: The trial is centered around Musk’s claim that Altman and others breached their fiduciary duties by diverting the charitable assets of the nonprofit corporation for a for-profit contract.
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Microsoft Agreement Controversy: Musk argues that the deal with Microsoft represents a significant breach of trust by Altman, which Zilis had a role in approving as a board member.
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Cross Examination: Zilis faced detailed questioning to challenge and support both Musk’s and the defendants’ viewpoints, with a focus on past statements to test consistency.
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Upcoming Testimony: The trial will continue with live testimony from David Schizer, an expert tasked by Musk’s legal team to provide an opinion on whether OpenAI met its nonprofit commitments.
