Trending Now - Openai Trial Concludes Amidst Hoffman Testimony and Musk Drama

WHO:

Reuters - Sam Altman, Chief Executive of OpenAI; Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla; Greg Brockman, co-founder of OpenAI; Joshua Achiam, Chief Futurist of OpenAI; Kevin Scott, Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft; Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn; Mira Murati, Chief Technology Officer of OpenAI.

WHAT:

ABC News - Musk's lawsuit, filed in 2024, accuses OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and his top deputy of shifting into a moneymaking mode behind his back after Musk invested $38 million in OpenAI's early years.

ABC News - Musk is seeking an unspecified amount of money to fund the altruistic efforts of OpenAI’s charitable arm, in addition to “billions of dollars of disgorgement.”

Business Insider - OpenAI's expert, John Coates, used Musk's expert's own testimony to argue that the partnership with Microsoft has generated value for the nonprofit in the "$200 billion range."

ABC News - Musk's attorney, Steven Molo, stated that Musk is seeking “billions of dollars of disgorgement” in his lawsuit against OpenAI.

ABC News - The jury must determine if Musk filed his lawsuit in time, with OpenAI arguing that he cannot claim harms that occurred before August 2021.

ABC News - The judge indicated that if the jury finds Musk failed to file his action within the statute of limitations, she is likely to direct a verdict to the defendants.

Business Insider - OpenAI's expert, John Coates, claimed the partnership with Microsoft has generated value for the nonprofit in the "$200 billion range."

Business Insider - OpenAI's Chief Futurist Joshua Achiam described a tense exchange with Musk where he challenged Musk's approach to AI safety, leading Musk to call him a "jackass."

Business Insider - Achiam received a trophy inscribed with "never stop being a jackass for safety" after the exchange with Musk, although the judge did not accept it as evidence.

Business Insider - Microsoft's Chief Technology Officer Kevin Scott expressed concerns in a 2018 email about how OpenAI's early nonprofit donors, including Reid Hoffman, would react to the partnership with Microsoft.

ABC News - Musk is seeking Altman’s ouster from OpenAI’s board as part of his lawsuit.

ABC News - If Musk wins the lawsuit, it could derail OpenAI’s plans for an initial public offering (IPO).

ABC News - Musk's attorney stated that the lawsuit includes claims of breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment.

ABC News - The jury must determine whether OpenAI had a “charitable trust” and if its executives broke that trust.

ABC News - Musk's attorney, Steven Molo, claimed that five witnesses called Altman a “liar” under oath.

ABC News - The judge ordered Molo to retract a statement suggesting Musk wasn’t seeking any money in the lawsuit.

ABC News - Musk is seeking “billions of dollars of disgorgement” in his lawsuit against OpenAI.

ABC News - Musk's attorney, Steven Molo, stated that Musk is “sorry he could not be here” during the closing arguments, as he is in China with President Trump and other prominent tech executives.

ABC News - The jury must decide if Musk filed his lawsuit in time, with OpenAI arguing that he cannot claim harms that occurred before August 2021.

ABC News - The judge indicated that if the jury finds Musk failed to file his action within the statute of limitations, she is likely to direct a verdict to the defendants.

Business Insider - OpenAI wrapped up its case on Wednesday, with closing arguments scheduled for Thursday morning and jury deliberations expected to start thereafter.

Business Insider - OpenAI's expert, John Coates, claimed that the partnership with Microsoft has generated value for the nonprofit in the "$200 billion range."

Reuters - Sam Altman holds more than $2 billion in stakes in companies that have done business with OpenAI, including a $1.7 billion stake in Helion Energy.

Business Insider - The Musk v. Altman jury trial concluded after three weeks of testimony.

Business Insider - Closing arguments are scheduled for Thursday morning, with jury deliberations expected to start thereafter.

Business Insider - Musk accused Altman and Brockman of "looting" the charity they founded in 2015.

Business Insider - OpenAI claims Musk's accusations are driven by "jealousy" after he left the company in 2018.

Business Insider - OpenAI's partnership with Microsoft is valued at $13 billion.

Business Insider - A trophy described as "a small golden jackass" was presented in court, inscribed with: "never stop being a jackass for safety."

Business Insider - Musk's expert testified that OpenAI's partnership with Microsoft hurt the nonprofit's mission.

Business Insider - OpenAI's expert, John Coates, claimed the partnership generated value for the nonprofit in the "$200 billion range."

WHERE:

Business Insider - The trial is taking place in Oakland, California.

WHEN:

Business Insider - Closing arguments are scheduled for Thursday morning.

WHY:

Business Insider - Musk's claims are driven by "jealousy" after he left OpenAI in 2018, according to OpenAI.

Business Insider - Musk's departure from OpenAI was motivated by his desire to start his own competing AI company.

Business Insider - Concerns were raised about how OpenAI's early nonprofit donors would react to its partnership with Microsoft.

HOW:

ABC News - Musk's side is making the case that jurors should consider emails and other communications between Musk, Altman, and Brockman as evidence of a charitable trust, despite the absence of a signed contract.

ABC News - Musk's side is arguing that emails and other communications should be considered as evidence of a charitable trust, despite the absence of a signed contract.

Business Insider - OpenAI's lawyers attempted to present a trophy as evidence to support Joshua Achiam's testimony about his exchange with Musk, but Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers did not accept the trophy as evidence.

Business Insider - OpenAI's lawyers presented a trophy as evidence to support Achiam's testimony about his exchange with Musk.

Business Insider - OpenAI's lawyers used videotaped depositions from former executives to counter Musk's claims about the company's culture and partnerships.

(UPDATED May 15, 2026 01:34 UTC)

Musk has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and his top deputy, alleging they shifted the organization into a profit-driven model after he invested $38 million in its early years. He is seeking an unspecified amount of money to support OpenAI's charitable efforts, along with “billions of dollars of disgorgement.” OpenAI's expert argues that the partnership with Microsoft has created value for the nonprofit in the "$200 billion range," while Musk's claims are said to stem from "jealousy" following his departure from OpenAI in 2018.

(UPDATED May 14, 2026 23:17 UTC)

In a high-stakes lawsuit against OpenAI, Musk's attorney, Steven Molo, announced that Musk is seeking billions of dollars in disgorgement, while the jury must decide if Musk filed his lawsuit within the appropriate time frame, as OpenAI contends that he cannot claim damages from before August 2021. The judge indicated that if the jury finds Musk did not file within the statute of limitations, she may direct a verdict in favor of the defendants. Tensions escalated during a confrontation between Musk and OpenAI's Chief Futurist, Joshua Achiam, who received a trophy inscribed with "never stop being a jackass for safety" after Musk called him a "jackass," although the judge did not allow this as evidence.

(UPDATED May 14, 2026 21:28 UTC)

Musk is pushing for Altman's removal from OpenAI's board as part of a lawsuit that could potentially disrupt the company's plans for an initial public offering. The lawsuit claims breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment, with Musk's attorney asserting that five witnesses labeled Altman a "liar" under oath. The jury will need to decide if OpenAI had a "charitable trust" and whether its executives violated that trust, while Musk's team argues that emails and other communications should be viewed as evidence of that trust, despite lacking a signed contract.

(UPDATED May 14, 2026 19:33 UTC)

Musk is seeking billions of dollars in disgorgement in his lawsuit against OpenAI, with his attorney stating that Musk regrets not being present for the closing arguments as he is currently in China with Trump and other tech leaders. The jury now faces the critical task of determining whether Musk filed his lawsuit in time, as OpenAI contends that he cannot claim any harms that occurred before August 2021. Additionally, the judge has indicated that if the jury finds Musk did not file within the statute of limitations, she is likely to direct a verdict in favor of the defendants.

(UPDATED May 14, 2026 13:27 UTC)

OpenAI has wrapped up its case, with closing arguments set for Thursday morning and jury deliberations expected to begin shortly thereafter. During the proceedings, OpenAI's expert, John Coates, claimed that the partnership with Microsoft has generated value for the nonprofit in the "$200 billion range." Additionally, Microsoft's Chief Technology Officer Kevin Scott raised concerns back in 2018 about how OpenAI's early nonprofit donors, including Reid Hoffman, would respond to the partnership, while a trophy intended as evidence related to Joshua Achiam's testimony was not accepted by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.

(UPDATED May 14, 2026 11:44 UTC)

The jury trial between Musk and Altman has concluded after three weeks of testimony, with closing arguments set for Thursday morning and jury deliberations expected to follow. Musk accused Altman and Brockman of "looting" the charity they founded, while OpenAI contends that Musk's allegations stem from jealousy after his departure in 2018. In a notable moment during the trial in Oakland, California, OpenAI's lawyers presented a trophy inscribed with "never stop being a jackass for safety" to support their case.