OAKLAND, California: A jury is set to begin deliberations on Monday in the closely watched legal battle between billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and OpenAI, with the outcome potentially carrying major consequences for the future of the artificial intelligence giant behind ChatGPT.
The three-week trial in Oakland, near San Francisco, focused on Musk’s claim that OpenAI abandoned its founding mission as a non-profit research organisation dedicated to developing artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity.
Musk argues that OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman transformed the company into a profit-driven enterprise despite earlier commitments to remain focused on public benefit.
The lawsuit centres on a $38 million donation Musk says he provided to support OpenAI’s original non-profit structure. According to Musk, the funds were intended to help build a research laboratory committed to safe and open AI development rather than commercial gain.
OpenAI, now valued at around $850 billion, became one of the world’s most influential AI companies following the release of ChatGPT in 2022, a launch that accelerated the global AI race.
If Musk succeeds, the lawsuit could seriously disrupt OpenAI’s business model and planned future expansion. Musk is seeking to force the company to return to a non-profit structure, a move that could affect its relationships with major investors including Microsoft, Amazon and SoftBank.
During closing arguments, Musk’s lawyer Steven Molo accused Altman of betraying OpenAI’s original mission and misleading supporters about the company’s intentions.
OpenAI lawyer Sarah Eddy rejected the claims and instead questioned Musk’s credibility, arguing that even some of his closest associates did not support his account of events.
The trial also examined internal tensions at OpenAI, including Altman’s temporary removal as chief executive in November 2023 before he was reinstated following pressure from employees and investors.
Jurors must first decide whether Musk filed the lawsuit within the legal time limit. The case was brought in 2024, four years after Musk’s last contribution to OpenAI.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said the jury’s finding on the timing issue would be advisory, though she indicated she would likely follow its recommendation.
If the case proceeds beyond that stage, jurors will then consider whether OpenAI’s leadership improperly used Musk’s donations and violated commitments made during the company’s early years.
The jury will also assess whether Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest financial backer with more than $13 billion invested, knowingly supported the company’s shift away from its non-profit model.
