Musk kicks off explosive OpenAI trial by slamming Altman, company for abandoning non-profit mission: ‘Not OK to steal a charity’
Elon Musk testified in a high-profile trial against OpenAI, accusing CEO Sam Altman and the company of abandoning its nonprofit mission and unlawfully profiting from what was intended to be a charitable AI initiative. Musk claimed the transformation of OpenAI into a for-profit entity undermines the foundation of charitable giving in the U.S. OpenAI's legal team countered that Musk's lawsuit is a hypocritical move following his launch of competing AI venture xAI. The court heard arguments over OpenAI's founding intent, with Musk demanding $150 billion in damages and the restoration of nonprofit status.
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Business Musk kicks off explosive OpenAI trial by slamming Altman, company for abandoning non-profit mission: ‘Not OK to steal a charity’ By Marc Vartabedian Published April 28, 2026, 6:05 p.m. ET Elon Musk took the stand as the high-profile trial over the future of OpenAI kicked off on Tuesday — claiming that CEO Sam Altman took control of a group founded as a “charity” and improperly morphed it into a money-minting corporate juggernaut. “They’re going to make this case seem complicated but it’s actually very simple,” Musk told a packed federal courtroom in Oakland, Calif. early Tuesday afternoon, looking relaxed in a black suit and tie. “It’s not ok to steal a charity — that’s my view,” said Musk. “This case will become case law and become precedent to looting every charity in America.
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