A nine-person jury is deliberating in a high-stakes trial where Elon Musk accuses Sam Altman and OpenAI of "stealing a charity" by restructuring the AI firm from a non-profit to a for-profit entity, seeking to undo the change and redistribute $134bn.
A federal jury in Oakland, California, is set to decide a contentious lawsuit filed by Elon Musk against Sam Altman and OpenAI, alleging they "stole a charity" by converting the AI firm from its 2015 non-profit origins to a for-profit entity. The three-week trial has offered an exhaustive look into OpenAI's history and the bitter feud between Musk and Altman, involving reams of private communications and testimonies from tech luminaries like Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Shivon Zilis, mother of some of Musk's children. Musk claims Altman, OpenAI, and president Greg Brockman breached a charitable trust and committed unjust enrichment by luring him as a co-founder and taking his financial backing, then twisting the company for personal gains. He seeks the removal of Altman and Brockman, the undoing of OpenAI's for-profit restructuring, and the redistribution of $134bn to its non-profit arm, a verdict that could severely impact OpenAI's planned $1tn public offering. OpenAI vehemently denies the allegations, asserting Musk was aware of the for-profit plans, attempted a failed takeover, left in a 'huff' in 2018 to found a competitor (xAI), and is now a 'sore loser' seeking revenge. The company maintains its for-profit arm remains overseen by a robust non-profit. The trial featured combative testimonies from both Musk and Altman, each painting the other as untrustworthy. Musk, who left the trial early for a trip to China, accused Altman of 'conniving' to seize control and abandoning the charitable mission. OpenAI's lawyers grilled Musk on his knowledge of the for-profit plans, leading to testy exchanges. Witnesses for Musk, including former OpenAI executives, described Altman as deceptive and a liar. Conversely, Altman portrayed Musk as an erratic co-founder who sought 'total control' and tried to 'kill' the charity. Further revelations included OpenAI president Greg Brockman's personal diary entries about aspiring to $1bn, which Musk's lawyers used to suggest callous ambition. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella criticized the 2023 board's attempt to oust Altman as 'amateur city.' Shivon Zilis, Musk's partner and former OpenAI board member, denied accusations of being a spy for Musk, despite a text exchange highlighting her difficult position when Musk started a rival AI company.
