Story perspectives

Elon Musk Testifies, Demands $150 B, Nonprofit Reversal.

4/29/2026

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Summary

Musk Sues OpenAI

Elon Musk testified on April 29, 2026 in Oakland as plaintiff against OpenAI, CEO Sam Altman and President Greg Brockman.
He seeks $150 billion in damages and an order to revert OpenAI to nonprofit status, removing Altman and Brockman.
A nine-person jury was selected on April 28, 2026, with jurors reporting neutral views of Musk and the AI industry.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers warned Musk that his social-media commentary holds no legal value.

Summary

Musk Faces AI

Experts will testify that AI could manipulate markets, spread misinformation, and create concentration risk.
OpenAI says its nonprofit foundation still controls the firm, making the case a test of dominance.
Elon Musk’s leaked texts reveal a 2025 joint bid with Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg for OpenAI IP, prompting a subpoena of Shivon Zilis to discuss governance.
xAI’s chatbot Grok generated illegal deep-fake sexual images, raising questions about Musk’s AI safety record.

History

Historical Context

The U.S. Department of Justice and 20 states sued Microsoft on May 18 1998, and Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ruled the company an illegal monopoly for bundling Internet Explorer with Windows. Although the D.C. Circuit softened the judgment in 2001 and a 2002 settlement imposed licensing restrictions, the case set a precedent for breaking up dominant tech firms. Musk’s 2024 antitrust suit against OpenAI invokes that precedent.

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Musk Sues OpenAI

Elon Musk testified on April 29, 2026 in Oakland as plaintiff against OpenAI, CEO Sam Altman and President Greg Brockman.
He seeks $150 billion in damages and an order to revert OpenAI to nonprofit status, removing Altman and Brockman.
A nine-person jury was selected on April 28, 2026, with jurors reporting neutral views of Musk and the AI industry.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers warned Musk that his social-media commentary holds no legal value.

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