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Elon Musk Sues OpenAI for $134 B, Seeks Profit Reversal

4/27/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Elon Musk seeks over $134 billion in damages and a court order to reverse OpenAI’s conversion to a for-profit company.
Jury selection starts Monday in Oakland for the federal trial of Musk versus OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Musk says Altman broke the 2015 non-profit agreement by turning OpenAI into a for-profit firm.
OpenAI says Musk knew the plan, calls the suit jealous, and says his $38 million was a tax-deductible donation.

History

Historical Context

The U.S. Justice Department’s 1998 antitrust suit against Microsoft, resolved by a 2002 settlement that kept the firm dominant and later drew a 899 million-euro EU fine in 2004, set a precedent for regulating platform power. Decades later, Elon Musk’s 2024 lawsuit claims OpenAI broke its 2015 nonprofit agreement, a case that could extend Microsoft-era enforcement to AI startups.

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Story summary

Elon Musk seeks over $134 billion in damages and a court order to reverse OpenAI’s conversion to a for-profit company.
Jury selection starts Monday in Oakland for the federal trial of Musk versus OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Musk says Altman broke the 2015 non-profit agreement by turning OpenAI into a for-profit firm.
OpenAI says Musk knew the plan, calls the suit jealous, and says his $38 million was a tax-deductible donation.

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