Elon Musk took the stand on Tuesday in a closely watched courtroom battle over the future of OpenAI, framing his lawsuit against the ChatGPT developer as a defence of charitable principles and public trust in artificial intelligence development.
The billionaire entrepreneur, who founded Tesla and SpaceX, is suing OpenAI, along with its co-founders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, accusing them of abandoning the organisation’s original nonprofit mission. Musk alleges the company shifted from a public-benefit research entity into a profit-driven enterprise, betraying its founding purpose.
During his testimony, Musk argued that OpenAI was intended to serve humanity rather than commercial interests. “If we make it OK to loot a charity, the entire foundation of charitable giving in America will be destroyed,” he told the court, describing the case as a matter of principle.
Musk further claimed he played a central role in establishing OpenAI, saying he came up with the concept, name, recruited key personnel and provided initial funding. He insisted the organisation was never meant to enrich individuals, stating he deliberately chose a nonprofit structure instead of a commercial venture.
However, OpenAI’s legal team presented a sharply different narrative. Lawyer William Savitt argued that Musk himself had considered commercial potential during the organisation’s early development and later became dissatisfied when he did not gain control. He also claimed Musk only pursued legal action after failing to secure leadership of the company.
Savitt told the jury that Musk was motivated by personal ambition, stating: “What he cares about is Elon Musk being on top.” OpenAI also defended its transition into a for-profit structure, arguing it was necessary to secure funding and computing resources to compete with major AI rivals such as Google DeepMind.
Musk is seeking US$150 billion in damages and has called for OpenAI to revert to its nonprofit structure, while also pushing for leadership changes involving Altman and Brockman. His legal team argues the company engaged in breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment.
The trial has drawn significant attention due to its implications for the global artificial intelligence industry, with both sides presenting conflicting accounts of OpenAI’s founding principles and evolution. The case also highlights growing tensions in the rapidly expanding AI sector, where competition for talent and funding has intensified.
Musk is expected to continue his testimony in the coming days as the trial proceeds, with further key figures, including Sam Altman and Microsoft leadership, also expected to take the stand.
