OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman told a California court on Tuesday that Elon Musk supported plans to create a for-profit structure at OpenAI and had sought extensive control of the company, as the high-profile trial over the future of the artificial intelligence group entered its third week.
Reuters reported that Altman rejected Musk’s allegation that OpenAI abandoned its founding mission to benefit humanity after securing roughly $38 million from Musk between 2015 and 2017. Musk is seeking about $150 billion in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft, with the funds to be paid to OpenAI’s non-profit arm, while demanding the removal of Altman and OpenAI president Greg Brockman. Altman told the court that Musk was “quite the opposite” of opposed to a for-profit structure and said claims that OpenAI had tried to “steal a charity” were difficult “to even wrap my head around”.
During testimony in Oakland, Altman said Musk had at one stage demanded a 90 per cent stake in OpenAI and pushed for long-term control over the organisation. The Financial Times reported that Altman described one discussion about succession arrangements as a “particularly hair-raising moment”, recalling Musk suggesting control could potentially pass to his children if he died. “Part of the reason that we started OpenAI was that we didn’t think artificial general intelligence should be under the control of one person,” Altman said.
Musk’s lawyer Steven Molo used cross-examination to challenge Altman’s credibility, citing testimony from former OpenAI executives and board members who had accused him of dishonesty. Asked whether he had misled people in business dealings, Altman replied: “I do not think so,” and later added: “I believe I am an honest and trustworthy business person.”
The case has become a defining dispute within the artificial intelligence sector as OpenAI considers a future stock market listing that could value the company at up to $1 trillion. Altman testified OpenAI had raised $175 billion from investors over its lifetime, while SoftBank, Nvidia and Amazon had each invested more in OpenAI than Microsoft’s roughly $13 billion commitment.
Reuters reported that OpenAI chair Bret Taylor separately testified that he was surprised by a 2025 takeover approach from Musk’s xAI consortium because it appeared inconsistent with the lawsuit’s argument that OpenAI should remain under non-profit control. Jury deliberations could begin next week following the conclusion of testimony.
