OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took the witness stand on May 13, 2026, in the ongoing Musk v. Altman trial, describing Elon Musk as obsessed with controlling OpenAI and recounting what he called “a particularly hair-raising moment” when Musk proposed that control of the company pass to his children upon his death. “We didn’t feel comfortable with that,” Altman told the court.
Altman also testified that Musk’s 2018 move to establish an AI unit within Tesla — and his offer for Altman to run it — felt like “a vague, lightweight threat” that Musk would effectively crush OpenAI with or without him.
The trial centers on Musk’s lawsuit alleging that Altman effectively stole the OpenAI charity, taking the $38 million Musk donated to the nonprofit and using it to build a for-profit company now valued at more than $850 billion. The case was filed in a US court, with Musk’s legal team using cross-examination to challenge Altman’s credibility, pressing him on allegations of deceptive behavior raised by former colleagues.
Musk’s lead attorney, Steven Molo, opened his cross-examination by asking Altman directly: “Are you completely trustworthy?” Altman said he believed so. When asked whether he tells lies to advance his business interests, Altman answered, “No.”
Despite the aggressive cross-examination, Musk’s case faces significant legal headwinds. Neither Altman nor Sam Teller, Musk’s former chief of staff, recalled Musk ever attaching conditions to his donations. The case also appears to have been filed after the statute of limitations had expired, years after Musk made his last donation and grew suspicious of a breach of charitable trust.
Musk did not remain in court for Altman’s testimony. Flight records cited in the reporting suggest he traveled to the Washington, DC, area to accompany President Donald Trump on a trip to China.
Source: WIRED