Elon Musk Spotted at Federal Courthouse in New York — But the Story Behind It Is Complicated

The closely watched trial unfolded at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Oakland, California, drawing intense attention from the technology industry.

Musk had accused OpenAI of abandoning its original nonprofit mission and shifting toward a profit-driven structure, arguing that the company had betrayed commitments made to him.

The lawsuit centered on OpenAI’s transformation from a nonprofit artificial-intelligence research organization into a company capable of attracting enormous private investment.

Musk, one of OpenAI’s original co-founders, argued that the organization’s founders had promised to prioritize humanity’s interests rather than shareholder returns.

OpenAI and Altman strongly disputed those allegations, portraying Musk’s lawsuit as part of a broader personal and business dispute between the technology billionaires.

During the trial, Musk took the witness stand and faced detailed questioning about his relationship with OpenAI, his communications with Altman, and the company’s evolution.

OpenAI’s attorneys sought to demonstrate that Musk himself had previously considered changes to OpenAI’s structure and had expressed interest in greater control over the organization.

The courtroom exchanges became particularly tense as lawyers challenged Musk over emails, text messages and earlier discussions concerning OpenAI’s proposed transition toward a commercial structure.

Musk maintained that he had been misled about the organization’s intentions and believed OpenAI was supposed to remain focused on its original nonprofit purpose.

The case attracted significant attention because it involved two influential figures at the center of the rapidly developing artificial-intelligence industry.

Microsoft also became involved in the dispute because of its substantial financial relationship with OpenAI and its role in the company’s expanding commercial operations.

Musk sought as much as $150 billion in damages and requested major changes to OpenAI’s corporate structure, according to reporting from the trial.

The trial lasted approximately three weeks, with lawyers for both sides presenting evidence about OpenAI’s founding documents, business strategy and relationship with its former co-founder.

Closing arguments brought the dispute to a dramatic conclusion as attorneys urged jurors to examine whether Musk’s claims were legally and procedurally valid.

Ultimately, the jury did not reach the underlying question of whether OpenAI had breached its charitable obligations, instead determining that Musk’s lawsuit was barred by the statute of limitations.

The decision represented a significant legal victory for OpenAI, Altman and Microsoft, while leaving Musk without the sweeping remedies he had sought.

Musk’s attorney later argued that the evidence supported the billionaire’s position but acknowledged that the jury’s decision prevented the case from reaching the substantive charitable-trust questions.

The outcome is unlikely to end the broader rivalry between Musk and Altman, whose competing companies remain major players in the global artificial-intelligence race.

For OpenAI, the verdict removes a major legal threat as the company continues pursuing commercial growth, investment and increasingly ambitious artificial-intelligence projects.

For Musk, the defeat marks another chapter in a long-running conflict over OpenAI’s direction, governance and the future of artificial intelligence.