Story perspectives

Jury Dismisses Musk’s $150 B OpenAI Lawsuit, Statute Expired

5/18/2026

Summary

Story summary

Federal jury in Oakland, California unanimously dismissed Elon Musk’s $150 billion lawsuit against OpenAI, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman because it was filed after the statute of limitations expired.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers accepted the verdict, ending a three-week trial after less than two hours of deliberation and also dismissing Microsoft’s untimely claims.
Musk’s lawyers said they will appeal while OpenAI, valued at $852 billion, prepares for a potential IPO.

History

Historical Context

United States v. Microsoft antitrust case, 1998, resulted in a $1.5 billion fine and mandated software sharing that reshaped industry competition. Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ruled that Bill Gates’ Microsoft held a 93 percent Windows market share, prompting the FTC’s 1998 investigation. Similarly, the 2024 Oakland jury swiftly dismissed Elon Musk’s $150 billion lawsuit against OpenAI, Sam Altman, and Greg Brockman for filing beyond the statute of limitations. These rulings illustrate how procedural thresholds can halt high-stakes tech disputes, shaping future litigation strategies and corporate governance across the sector.

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Story summary

Federal jury in Oakland, California unanimously dismissed Elon Musk’s $150 billion lawsuit against OpenAI, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman because it was filed after the statute of limitations expired.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers accepted the verdict, ending a three-week trial after less than two hours of deliberation and also dismissing Microsoft’s untimely claims.
Musk’s lawyers said they will appeal while OpenAI, valued at $852 billion, prepares for a potential IPO.

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