What for months was a clash of statements on social media and legal filings has become something far more concrete this week: Elon Musk and Sam Altman have come face to face in a federal court in Oakland, California. The case is one for the history books. Musk sued OpenAI, the company he himself co-founded in 2015, arguing that he donated more than $44 million because it was a non-profit organisation oriented towards the benefit of humanity. What happened next we already know: OpenAI became a for-profit company valued at $852 billion.
Musk is asking for his money back, for Altman to be removed from leadership and for the entire conversion to a for-profit company to be reversed. The damages figure he is claiming is around $130 billion. In the courtroom, Musk testified: «I had the idea, the name, I recruited the key people and provided the funding. Apart from that, nothing. It was a lot.» OpenAI’s lawyers responded by pointing out that Musk already knew in 2020 that the company was being taken over by Microsoft, years before filing the lawsuit.
The trial is expected to last four weeks, with witnesses such as Altman himself, possibly Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, and former members of OpenAI’s board. The consequences are enormous: if Musk wins, OpenAI’s IPO, which could take place this very year, would be left in the air. If he loses, it will be confirmed that you can raise money for an altruistic cause, build a billion-dollar business with it and get away scot-free. This is no ordinary trial.
Article published on 29 April 2026 | Technology blog
