Sam Altman vs Elon Musk

The long-running feud between two of tech’s most famous leaders, Elon Musk and Sam Altman, finally reached a boiling point in early 2026 as their high-stakes legal battle moved into a federal courtroom in Oakland, California. The trial, which began in late April 2026, pits the world’s richest man against the CEO of OpenAI, the company responsible for ChatGPT.

The Core of the Dispute: Mission or Money?

At the heart of the lawsuit is Musk’s claim that Altman and OpenAI President Greg Brockman committed a "breach of charitable trust". Musk argues that when he co-founded OpenAI in 2015, the agreement was that it would remain a nonprofit dedicated to developing artificial intelligence safely for the benefit of all humanity.

However, Musk alleges that under Altman's leadership, the company performed a "bait-and-switch," transforming into a profit-driven entity heavily funded by Microsoft. Musk’s legal team has suggested that the company now owes him anywhere from $134 billion to $150 billion in damages, though Musk has stated he would redirect any award back to OpenAI's nonprofit arm rather than keeping it personally.

Key Moments from the Trial

The proceedings have been filled with intense testimony and dramatic revelations:

• Musk on the Stand: During his testimony, Musk claimed he lost confidence in Altman by 2022, accusing him of trying to "steal the charity" to build a "wealth machine" for insiders.

• OpenAI's Defense: OpenAI’s lawyers have pushed back, arguing that Musk is simply "motivated by jealousy" and regret for leaving the company in 2018. They presented evidence suggesting Musk himself once supported a for-profit pivot as long as he had total control over it.

• Safety Concerns: Musk testified that unchecked commercial AI could "kill us all," leading Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to eventually limit his "doomsday talk" to keep the trial focused on legal facts rather than sci-fi fears.

What is at Stake?

The outcome of this trial could have massive consequences for the tech world. If Musk wins, he is seeking the ouster of Altman and Brockman and a full reversion of OpenAI to a nonprofit status. A verdict against OpenAI could also derail its planned 2026 Initial Public Offering (IPO), where the company is expected to reach a valuation of nearly $1 trillion. For now, the world waits as a nine-person jury decides the future of the most powerful AI company on Earth.