{"id":2595700,"date":"2026-04-27T13:58:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T17:58:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-musks-lawsuit-against-altman-could-change-about-the-ai-industry\/"},"modified":"2026-04-27T14:01:45","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T18:01:45","slug":"what-musks-lawsuit-against-altman-could-change-about-the-ai-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-musks-lawsuit-against-altman-could-change-about-the-ai-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"What Musk&#8217;s lawsuit against Altman could change about the AI industry"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwhat-musks-lawsuit-against-altman-could-change-about-the-ai-industry%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2595700&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A lawsuit filed by billionaire Elon Musk against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is scheduled to go to trial this week, beginning with jury selection on Monday in federal court in Oakland, California. The dispute could last about four weeks and hinges on whether OpenAI\u2019s leadership prioritized profit over the institution\u2019s original mission to ensure AI benefits humanity.<\/p>\n<p>Musk and Altman previously co-founded OpenAI in 2015 as a nonprofit; they split in 2018 after Musk left amid disagreement over OpenAI\u2019s nonprofit status. OpenAI later created a for-profit subsidiary in 2019, and Musk\u2019s complaint alleges Altman favored financial goals. Musk also claims he wanted OpenAI to merge with tesla,an idea he says Altman rejected,leading Musk to pursue xAI instead.<\/p>\n<p>The trial is tied to the broader competition between OpenAI and Musk\u2019s efforts in AI and computing infrastructure.Musk is seeking around $150 billion in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft, and he asks the court to remove Altman from OpenAI\u2019s board and roll back its for-profit structure.OpenAI denies wrongdoing, saying Musk supported the shift to a for-profit model.<\/p>\n<p>A nine-person jury will be seated,but the verdict will be advisory; the final decision will be made by U.S. District judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. Witnesses expected to testify include Musk and Altman, plus Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati. The court may also hear from former and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >current openai board members<\/a>, including those involved in Altman\u2019s brief 2023 ouster and later reinstatement.<\/p>\n<p>Separately, OpenAI is also facing an expanding Florida criminal inquiry related to the alleged use of ChatGPT during an April 2025 shooting at Florida State University, and authorities have broadened the matter to include additional killings involving missing students at the University of South Florida. Musk has publicly criticized OpenAI in connection with that reporting.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p>A highly anticipated lawsuit filed by billionaire <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elon-musk\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1412\">Elon Musk<\/a> against OpenAI CEO <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/sam-altman\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11096\">Sam Altman<\/a> is set to go to trial this week, starting with jury selection on Monday, as the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/artificial-intelligence\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1658\">artificial intelligence<\/a> firm\u2019s future hangs in the balance.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of who wins the four-week trial, the outcome could very well upend the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/technology\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11416\">technology<\/a> industry\u2019s AI race. Both <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/openai\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11146\">OpenAI<\/a> and Musk\u2019s startup, xAI, are actively pursuing ways to outcompete the other in a contest fueled by personal drama.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4544139\/virginia-redistrict-amendment-faces-tension-state-supreme-court\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Virginia redistricting ballot amendment faces tense questioning from state Supreme Court<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4544020\/security-protocol-different-whca-dinner-redo-kash-patel\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Security protocol will look \u2018completely different\u2019 for White House media dinner redo: Kash Patel<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4543805\/doj-national-trust-ballroom-lawsuit\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DOJ calls on National Trust to drop lawsuit against Trump ballroom after dinner shooting<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>In 2015, Musk and Altman cofounded OpenAI as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rhode-island-dems-push-to-teach-kids-about-pleasure-based-sexual-relations\/\" title=\"Rhode Island Dems Push To Teach Kids About \u2018Pleasure Based Sexual Relations...\">nonprofit organization dedicated<\/a> to researching and advancing AI technology. The two officially split in February 2018 when Musk quit over disagreements regarding the firm\u2019s nonprofit status. OpenAI launched a for-profit subsidiary in 2019, which Musk said he never wanted.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>In his lawsuit, the tech mogul accuses Altman of prioritizing money over the organization\u2019s humanitarian mission of ensuring AI technology benefits the world. OpenAI disputes the claim, saying Musk was on board with its for-profit move.<\/p>\n<p>Musk allegedly wanted to merge OpenAI with Tesla, and when that idea was rejected by Altman, he decided to part ways and start his own AI initiative.<\/p>\n<p>As of March 31, OpenAI is valued at <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/openai.com\/index\/accelerating-the-next-phase-ai\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/openai.com\/index\/accelerating-the-next-phase-ai\/\">$852 billion<\/a> after raising $122 billion. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/anthropic\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"17700\">Anthropic<\/a> overtook its competitor this week, surging to an approximate $1 trillion valuation. In February, xAI and SpaceX merged in a deal valued at $1.25 trillion.<\/p>\n<p>Musk\u2019s combined company is seeking to go public this summer, filing an initial public offering worth $1.75 trillion that could make its founder the world\u2019s first trillionaire. OpenAI is similarly seeking to go public as soon as this year, but that goal could be postponed depending on the trial\u2019s outcome.<\/p>\n<p>If the court rules in favor of Musk, OpenAI\u2019s rivals would be emboldened to take the lead in the AI race. But if Musk loses the case, Altman would maintain his leadership position at the company and continue pursuing the rapid development of AI-fueled <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/data-centers\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"22166\">data centers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Musk is seeking about $150 billion in damages from OpenAI as well as <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/microsoft\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"3098\">Microsoft<\/a>, which partners with Altman\u2019s company. The plaintiff also demands the court remove Altman from OpenAI\u2019s board and roll back its for-profit status. Notably, Altman was briefly ousted in 2023 but reinstated after OpenAI staffers threatened to join him.<\/p>\n<p>Jury selection is set to start on Monday in federal court in Oakland, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"60\">Cali<\/a><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"60\">f<\/a><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"60\">ornia<\/a>. A nine-person jury will deliver a verdict, but unlike other trials, the jurors merely serve an advisory role here. The final decision will be determined by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, nominated in 2011 by then-President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/barack-obama\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"360\">Barack Obama<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Musk and Altman will participate in witness testimony, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and former OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati are also slated to take the stand.<\/p>\n<p>The judge and jury may hear from former OpenAI board member Shivon Zilis, who is the mother of four of Musk\u2019s children, and three other OpenAI board members who fired Altman in November 2023, only for him to return to the board days later.<\/p>\n<p>OpenAI is facing a criminal investigation in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/florida\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"159\">Florida<\/a> over an April 2025 shooting at Florida State University, where the suspect asked OpenAI\u2019s ChatGPT about how to carry out the crime. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-york-democrat-state-senators-issue-statement-calling-for-cuomos-emergency-powers-to-be-stripped\/\" title=\"New York Democrat State Senators Issue Statement Calling For Cuomo...s Emergency Powers To Be Stripped\">state investigation<\/a> was expanded on Monday to include the recent murders of two missing doctoral students at the University of South Florida. In this case, the suspect also used ChatGPT.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4537916\/florida-ag-criminal-investigation-openai-fsu-shooter\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4537916\/florida-ag-criminal-investigation-openai-fsu-shooter\/\">FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNOUNCES CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO OPENAI OVER FSU SHOOTER<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On Monday, Musk indirectly criticized OpenAI over the suspects\u2019 alleged use of ChatGPT on Monday by reposting a conservative podcaster\u2019s response to the latest news from Florida.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is the 7th consecutive week with new reporting that ChatGPT was used in connection with murder or suicide,\u201d Katie Miller <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/KatieMiller\/status\/2048727747954868342\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/x.com\/KatieMiller\/status\/2048727747954868342\">posted on X<\/a>. \u201cOpenAI doesn\u2019t \u2018benefit all of humanity,&#8217;\u201d she said, quoting part of OpenAI\u2019s mission statement that Musk often questions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Elon Musk\u2019s lawsuit against OpenAI\u2019s Sam Altman goes to trial<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2159,"featured_media":2595701,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-collage-uv2s3m1th-1777305580992-e1777305670618.jpg?1777293420&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[78673,32192,20164],"class_list":["post-2595700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-ai-litigation","tag-elon-musk","tag-openai"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-collage-uv2s3m1th-1777305580992-e1777305670618.jpg?1777293420&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2595700","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2159"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2595700"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2595700\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2595704,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2595700\/revisions\/2595704"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2595701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2595700"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2595700"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2595700"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}