Story perspectives

Elon Musk Sues OpenAI for $134 B, Seeks Altman Ouster

4/30/2026

Summary

Elon Musk Sues OpenAI

Elon Musk testified that he contributed $38 million to OpenAI and is suing for $134 billion.
Elon Musk claimed OpenAI’s for-profit conversion, driven by Microsoft’s $10 billion investment, breached a trust and enriched Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.
Elon Musk is seeking the removal of Sam Altman and Greg Brockman and the reversal of OpenAI’s for-profit arm.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers warned against photography and said the trial could last several weeks.

Summary

Musk warns AI

Musk told jurors his 2015 meeting with President Barack Obama spurred lobbying for AI regulations.
He warned AI could “make everyone prosperous, but also kill us all.”
Musk said Larry Page called him a “speciesist” for safety, leading him to launch an open-source nonprofit and calling his 2017 email to OpenAI a “fool” moment, and warned that without early safeguards the race to artificial general intelligence could outpace society’s control.

History

Historical Context

In May 1997 IBM’s upgraded Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov 3½–2½, marking the first tournament loss of a reigning champion. The match awarded the computer $700,000 and kept Deep Blue operational for years, while IBM refused a rematch and later retired the system, setting a precedent for later AI investments.

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Elon Musk Sues OpenAI

Elon Musk testified that he contributed $38 million to OpenAI and is suing for $134 billion.
Elon Musk claimed OpenAI’s for-profit conversion, driven by Microsoft’s $10 billion investment, breached a trust and enriched Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.
Elon Musk is seeking the removal of Sam Altman and Greg Brockman and the reversal of OpenAI’s for-profit arm.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers warned against photography and said the trial could last several weeks.

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