Elon Musk vs OpenAI Trial Officially Scheduled for Spring
A major legal showdown between two tech titans is moving forward. The high-profile lawsuit filed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk against OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman will go to trial this spring. Federal Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has officially set the schedule.
Trial Dates and Proceedings
Jury selection will begin on April 27, with the trial itself starting the very next day. According to court documents, the proceedings could last up to four weeks, potentially running through May 22. This timeline gives both sides ample time to present their arguments before a jury.
Last week, Judge Rogers rejected OpenAI's attempt to dismiss the case entirely. During a hearing, she stated there was "plenty of evidence" to warrant a trial, even calling some of it circumstantial but noting "that's how these things work." She made it clear: "This case is going to trial."
The Core of the Dispute
Elon Musk filed this lawsuit in 2024, accusing OpenAI of violating its founding mission. Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 alongside Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. He contributed approximately $38 million in seed funding and helped recruit top AI scientists.
Musk claims he supported the organization under the understanding it would remain a nonprofit dedicated to developing artificial intelligence for humanity's benefit. His lawsuit alleges that OpenAI's shift toward a for-profit model, particularly through its partnership with Microsoft, constitutes a betrayal of that original agreement.
The legal filing uses strong language, stating that "the perfidy and deceit are of Shakespearean proportions" and that once OpenAI's technology approached transformative artificial general intelligence (AGI), Altman "flipped the narrative and proceeded to cash in."
OpenAI's Defense
OpenAI has countered Musk's claims from the beginning. The company maintains that Musk was aware of their move toward a for-profit structure as early as 2018. They emphasize that they still operate a nonprofit arm alongside their commercial endeavors.
Musk left OpenAI in 2018 due to disagreements over the company's control and direction. Now, six years later, those disagreements have escalated into a courtroom battle that could have significant implications for the AI industry.
What's at Stake
This trial represents more than just a contractual dispute between billionaires. It touches on fundamental questions about:
- The ethical development of artificial intelligence
- How nonprofit tech organizations can sustain themselves financially
- The balance between commercial interests and altruistic missions in cutting-edge technology
- The legal obligations of organizations to their founders and early supporters
The outcome could influence how other AI companies structure their organizations and partnerships. With jury selection scheduled for late April, the tech world will be watching closely as this drama unfolds in a California courtroom.
