OpenAI vs. Musk Trial — Altman Takes the Stand

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took the witness stand in a federal courthouse in Oakland, California on Tuesday. CNBC reported that Altman’s appearance was among the most anticipated moments in the ongoing lawsuit brought by Elon Musk against OpenAI.

Altman Flags Concerns Over OpenAI Controlling Stake

Altman told the court he was deeply uneasy about the prospect of Musk holding a controlling interest in OpenAI long-term. Defense counsel William Savitt asked Altman about those discussions directly. Altman said Musk had made clear he would only work on companies he fully controlled. That posture, Altman testified, made a Musk-controlled OpenAI an uncomfortable proposition for him and his fellow co-founders.

The co-founders reportedly pressed Musk on what would happen to his controlling votes and shares upon his death. Altman said Musk’s answer was unsatisfying. Musk suggested his controlling shares might pass to his children, a response Altman described as a cause for concern among the founding group.

What Musk Alleges in the Lawsuit

Musk filed the lawsuit in 2024, arguing that OpenAI, Altman, and company president Greg Brockman abandoned the company’s original nonprofit mission. Musk co-founded OpenAI alongside Altman and Brockman in 2015. He claims approximately $38 million he donated to the company was later redirected toward commercial activities he never authorised. During his own time on the stand last month, Musk repeatedly accused Altman and Brockman of attempting to enrich themselves at the charity’s expense.

Board Chairman Wraps Up His Testimony

Before Altman was called, OpenAI board chairman Bret Taylor concluded two days of testimony. Taylor told the court that a Microsoft executive named Dee Templeton held an observer seat on the OpenAI nonprofit board but had no voting rights and was excluded from sensitive deliberations. Taylor said Templeton attended only one or two board meetings in total.

Separately, Musk’s legal team showed Taylor a 2023 text message he had sent. In the message, Taylor said he would only agree to join the OpenAI board if Altman was reinstated following his brief ouster that year. Asked whether he had concluded Altman was dishonest when he set that condition, Taylor said he had not yet known all the facts at that point.

Background on the OpenAI Dispute

The trial stems from a years-long tension between Musk and OpenAI’s leadership over the company’s shift toward commercial operations. OpenAI began as a nonprofit research lab and has since restructured into a for-profit entity. That transition sits at the core of Musk’s legal challenge and has drawn wide scrutiny from regulators, investors, and AI researchers alike.

Read Next: What OpenAI’s For-Profit Conversion Means for the AI Industry