Elon Musk Takes the Stand in His Long-Running War Against OpenAI

Elon Musk finally took the stand this week in the trial he’s been pushing against OpenAI for years. The target? Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, his former co-founders from the early days when OpenAI was still a non-profit with big ideals.

Musk invested up to $38 million back then. That’s real money, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s pocket change for someone of his wealth. The real issue has always been control and direction. According to Musk, the relationship soured when disagreements popped up about whether OpenAI should be folded into Tesla. That idea went nowhere, and Musk eventually walked away.

He didn’t stay quiet, though. Over the years, Musk has filed at least four different lawsuits against OpenAI. Most of them have been dismissed or settled quietly. This one, however, seems to be sticking around long enough to get him on the stand.

Now Musk runs xAI, which is technically owned by SpaceX. So he’s not just an observer anymore—he’s a direct competitor. That makes his legal crusade look less like a principled stand and more like a business rivalry playing out in court.

I’ve watched this saga drag on, and honestly, it feels like a lot of theater. Musk is known for his dramatic courtroom appearances, and I expect this one will be no different. The man loves a good spectacle.

The core question here is whether OpenAI breached its original non-profit mission by becoming a for-profit entity. Musk argues it did. OpenAI counters that the shift was necessary to raise capital for serious AI development. Both sides have a point, but the legal merits are murky.

What’s clear is that Musk isn’t going to let this go. He’s been relentless, and this trial is just the latest chapter in a feud that’s been brewing for nearly a decade. Whether he wins or loses, it’s already shaping up to be one of the more entertaining tech trials of the year.