A high-stakes trial between Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman began with jury selection on April 27, 2026, in a case that could reshape the future of one of the tech industry’s leading AI companies.
Musk, a cofounder of OpenAI, filed the lawsuit in 2024, alleging that Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman tricked him into contributing money to the organization before abandoning its founding mission of developing AI for the benefit of humanity. Musk claims the company shifted its focus toward generating profits instead.
Among his demands, Musk is seeking the removal of both Altman and Brockman, an end to OpenAI’s operation as a public benefit corporation, and up to $150 billion in damages paid to OpenAI’s nonprofit arm if he prevails.
OpenAI has pushed back sharply against the claims. The company described the lawsuit as “a baseless and jealous bid to derail a competitor,” arguing that the case is motivated by Musk’s interest in advancing his own ventures — SpaceX, xAI, and X — which have launched the Grok AI model as a rival to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
The trial could carry significant consequences for OpenAI’s structure and leadership. A ruling in Musk’s favor may force major changes to how the company operates and who runs it, while a loss could further solidify OpenAI’s current direction as a for-profit-oriented entity.
Source: The Verge