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Musk v. OpenAI Trial Starts April 27 as Judge Questions Remedies

The outcome could upend OpenAI’s for‑profit pivot.

Overview

  • Jury selection in the Elon Musk v. OpenAI case begins April 27 in Oakland in a suit that claims Sam Altman and Greg Brockman misled him about keeping OpenAI a nonprofit.
  • Musk seeks to unwind OpenAI’s 2025 shift to a for‑profit model, force paybacks in the billions, and remove Altman and Greg Brockman from their roles with their equity stripped.
  • Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said she will decide remedies only after the jury rules on liability and questioned whether some of Musk’s proposed fixes are within her power.
  • Evidence headed to trial includes Greg Brockman’s private notes warning a for‑profit turn could trigger “a very nasty fight” and that Musk might say they “weren’t honest with him.”
  • A forced return to nonprofit status could disrupt OpenAI’s deal with Microsoft and make it harder to raise money or go public, while OpenAI counters that Musk’s suit is a harassment campaign and has asked California and Delaware attorneys general to investigate him.