Musk vs OpenAI Trial Heads to Jury After Explosive Closing Arguments
Closing arguments wrapped in the landmark Musk v. Altman trial in Oakland, with the jury set to begin advisory deliberations on May 18 while Judge Gonzalez Rogers holds sole binding authority over a verdict that could unwind OpenAI's 500 billion dollar restructure.
Key Takeaways
- Five witnesses including former OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever testified that CEO Sam Altman was dishonest about the company's direction
- Musk seeks to unwind OpenAI's 500 billion dollar for-profit restructure and remove Altman and Brockman from leadership
- The jury's verdict starting May 18 is advisory only as Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers holds sole binding authority
- The ruling could set new legal precedents for how AI organizations transition between nonprofit and for-profit structures
The biggest artificial intelligence trial in history reached its final act on Wednesday as lawyers for Elon Musk and OpenAI delivered closing arguments in an Oakland federal courtroom. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will now oversee a process that could fundamentally change how AI companies structure themselves and handle billions of dollars in investor money.
What Both Sides Argued
Musk's lead attorney Steven Molo built his closing around one central claim: that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman cannot be trusted. Molo told jurors that five witnesses, including former OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, testified that Altman had been dishonest about the company's direction. Musk originally donated roughly 38 million dollars to OpenAI when it launched as a nonprofit in 2015. His legal team now argues those funds were misused when OpenAI converted to a for-profit structure valued at 500 billion dollars.
OpenAI's attorney Sarah Eddy fired back with a different narrative. She told the jury that Musk never truly cared about the nonprofit mission and instead wanted to dominate a for-profit AI venture himself. Fellow counsel William Savitt accused Musk of selective amnesia regarding a 2018 investment plan that would have given him control over OpenAI's direction.
What Happens Next
The jury begins deliberations on Monday, May 18, but their verdict is advisory only. Judge Gonzalez Rogers holds sole authority to issue the binding ruling. That means one federal judge will ultimately decide whether to unwind OpenAI's massive corporate restructure, potentially remove Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman from leadership, and redirect what Musk's team calls ill-gotten gains back to OpenAI's nonprofit foundation.
The stakes extend far beyond this single case. Legal experts say the ruling could set new precedents for how AI organizations transition between nonprofit and for-profit structures. A ruling in Musk's favor could force OpenAI to reverse its October 2025 recapitalization and rethink its entire business model.
The trial ran for three weeks starting April 28 and drew testimony from some of the biggest names in AI. With 700 million weekly ChatGPT users and a projected future valuation approaching one trillion dollars, the outcome could reshape the industry for years to come.
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