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Musk sues OpenAI, Microsoft for $130 B in Oakland

4/28/2026

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Summary

Musk Sues OpenAI

Jury selection began Monday in Oakland for Elon Musk’s suit against OpenAI, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will preside over a two-phase trial with an advisory jury on liability.
Musk alleges OpenAI broke its nonprofit charter by converting to for-profit and seeks $130 billion, saying his 2015 $38 million donation was charitable.
Microsoft is also a defendant, accused of facilitating the breach after its $13 billion investment in OpenAI.

Summary

Musk Trial Reveals

The trial will reveal private emails, diary notes and texts that show the founders’ debate over the nonprofit-to-for-profit shift.
Former board member Shivon Zilis, mother of four of Musk’s children, is slated to testify for several hours.
Legal experts warn the case could redefine donor standing in nonprofit law, a rarely litigated issue.

Summary

Altman Attacked

The New Yorker published a profile earlier this month that described Sam Altman as an unscrupulous executive.
Days later, a 20-year-old man was arrested for attempting to murder Altman by throwing a Molotov cocktail at his San Francisco home.
The judge also permitted questioning of Elon Musk about his attendance at the 2017 Burning Man festival, an event known for widespread drug use.

Summary

OpenAI IPO

OpenAI's upcoming IPO could value the company at about $1 trillion, Reuters reports.
The firm is valued at over $850 billion and holds a 26% nonprofit stake with valuation-linked warrants.
OpenAI has spent billions on compute to outpace rivals such as Anthropic.
A lawsuit seeks $150 billion, applying 50-75% of the nonprofit stake tied to Musk to OpenAI's valuation.
Musk's xAI merged into SpaceX, whose IPO later this year may be the largest ever.

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Musk Sues OpenAI

Jury selection began Monday in Oakland for Elon Musk’s suit against OpenAI, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will preside over a two-phase trial with an advisory jury on liability.
Musk alleges OpenAI broke its nonprofit charter by converting to for-profit and seeks $130 billion, saying his 2015 $38 million donation was charitable.
Microsoft is also a defendant, accused of facilitating the breach after its $13 billion investment in OpenAI.

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