Story perspectives

Elon Musk Sues OpenAI for $134 B Over Nonprofit Conversion

4/29/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Elon Musk sued OpenAI, CEO Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman in U.S. District Court in Oakland on April 27, 2026, alleging the for-profit conversion stole a charity.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers barred OpenAI from questioning Musk about alleged ketamine use.
Musk seeks about $134 billion in damages to be paid to OpenAI’s nonprofit arm and the removal of Altman and Brockman, while Microsoft, a co-defendant, denies colluding in the restructuring.

History

Historical Context

Elon Musk’s 2026 lawsuit against OpenAI—now backed by Microsoft—echoes the 1998 United States v. Microsoft antitrust case, where the DOJ argued Microsoft’s dominant PC-OS market share and a judge ordered breakup remedies. That precedent of courts reshaping tech power helped spur today’s scrutiny of corporate restructurings, highlighted by a €899 million EU fine on Microsoft in 2008.

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Story summary

Elon Musk sued OpenAI, CEO Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman in U.S. District Court in Oakland on April 27, 2026, alleging the for-profit conversion stole a charity.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers barred OpenAI from questioning Musk about alleged ketamine use.
Musk seeks about $134 billion in damages to be paid to OpenAI’s nonprofit arm and the removal of Altman and Brockman, while Microsoft, a co-defendant, denies colluding in the restructuring.

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