Jury rules in favor of Sam Altman and OpenAI in lawsuit from Elon Musk

May 18, 2026

AI Summary

A jury has dismissed Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, ruling that they were not liable for claims of breach of charitable trust. Musk alleged that OpenAI had strayed from its nonprofit mission, but the court found insufficient grounds for his claims.

The jury took less than two hours to deliberate before rejecting Musk's claims against Altman and OpenAI.
U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers stated that the claims of breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment were dismissed as untimely.
Musk's lawsuit, filed in 2024, alleged that OpenAI violated its commitment to remain a nonprofit, a claim that was also dismissed against Microsoft, which was named as a defendant.
Musk sought to recover up to $134 billion in alleged ill-gotten gains and aimed to remove Altman and OpenAI President Greg Brockman from leadership.
Musk testified that his donations to OpenAI were made with the understanding that the organization would focus on developing AI for the benefit of humanity.
OpenAI's lawyers argued that Musk's donations were unrestricted and that restructuring was necessary to compete in the AI market.
The trial featured testimonies from key figures including Altman, Brockman, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and Musk.
The verdict comes as both Musk and Altman prepare their companies for potential public offerings, with OpenAI recently raising $122 billion and SpaceX planning an IPO.

elon muskopenaicourt battlesam altmanlegal

Jury rules in favor of Sam Altman and OpenAI in lawsuit from Elon Musk

Related Stories

Traders Discuss Differences in US and Chinese AI Development

CEO highlights need for modernizing annual performance reviews in the age of AI

Concerns Rise Over AI Data Center Financing as Potential Credit Risk

U.S. partners with Shield AI for affordable drone technology amid rising military costs