US Jury Rules Against Elon Musk in OpenAI Lawsuit
An American jury has ruled against Elon Musk in his lawsuit against OpenAI, finding the artificial intelligence company not liable for allegedly abandoning its original non-profit mission. In a unanimous verdict reached in an Oakland, California federal court on Monday, the jury concluded that Musk had brought his case too late. The decision was reached after less than two hours of deliberation.
The verdict followed an 11-day trial stemming from Musk’s 2024 lawsuit, which accused OpenAI, its CEO Sam Altman, and President Greg Brockman of manipulating him into providing $38 million in initial funding. Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 before leaving its board in 2018, contended the defendants betrayed the company’s founding principles by creating a for-profit arm, accepting tens of billions of dollars from Microsoft, and failing to prioritize AI safety. He characterized the move as “stealing a charity.”
Throughout the trial, the credibility of both Musk and Altman was repeatedly attacked, with each side accusing the other of being motivated by financial gain rather than public service. In his closing argument, Musk’s lawyer, Steven Molo, focused on Altman’s trustworthiness, reminding jurors that several witnesses had questioned his candor. In response, OpenAI’s lawyer, William Savitt, argued that it was Musk who was driven by financial interests, stating, “Mr. Musk may have the Midas touch in some areas, but not in AI.”
Following the verdict, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers noted there was a “substantial amount of evidence to support the jury’s finding” and suggested an appeal would be an “uphill battle.” The judge added that she had been prepared to dismiss the case herself based on the evidence presented. Musk’s lawyer has reserved the right to appeal the decision.
The high-profile case has been viewed as a pivotal moment for the future of artificial intelligence, raising critical questions about its commercial use and who should profit from the powerful technology. OpenAI, which now competes with firms like Anthropic and Musk’s own xAI, is reportedly preparing for a possible initial public offering that could value the company at $1 trillion.
