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Elon Musk Sues OpenAI $150B, Demands Nonprofit Reversion

4/28/2026

Summary

Musk Sues OpenAI

Elon Musk sued OpenAI for $150 billion to force it back into nonprofit status.
Musk says his $38 million contribution was breached by a for-profit unit launched in March 2019.
Musk wants CEO Sam Altman and President Greg Brockman removed.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers presides, with jurors slated for deliberations by May 12, 2026.
OpenAI warns the suit could threaten a $1 trillion IPO.

Summary

Musk Trial Curbs

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered the trial to exclude technical AI details and focus on alleged promise breaches.
She prohibited questions about Elon Musk’s alleged ketamine use while permitting inquiry into his 2017 Burning Man attendance.
Prospective jurors were surveyed on AI attitudes, with many expressing skepticism toward the technology.
Jurors expressed strong negative views of Elon Musk, with one describing him as having “no moral compass.”

History

Historical Context

United States v. Microsoft Corp. antitrust case, 1998, resulted in a $1.5 billion settlement and restrictions on Microsoft’s business practices. The Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Janet Reno, sued Microsoft, and Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson imposed a $1.5 billion penalty. Similarly, Elon Musk’s $150 billion lawsuit against OpenAI, overseen by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, challenges a for-profit shift and leadership decisions. The Microsoft precedent warns that courts may enforce structural remedies, potentially reshaping OpenAI’s governance and influencing future AI industry regulations.

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Musk Sues OpenAI

Elon Musk sued OpenAI for $150 billion to force it back into nonprofit status.
Musk says his $38 million contribution was breached by a for-profit unit launched in March 2019.
Musk wants CEO Sam Altman and President Greg Brockman removed.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers presides, with jurors slated for deliberations by May 12, 2026.
OpenAI warns the suit could threaten a $1 trillion IPO.

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