A California court will hear Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI, and the CEO of Microsoft will testify in court.

Elon Musk filed a lawsuit over allegations that OpenAI betrayed its nonprofit founding commitments, with jury selection beginning in a California court on April 27. The presiding judge is Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. According to court documents, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is listed as a witness who will testify during the trial, and a final ruling will be issued by mid-May.

Core allegations in the lawsuit: OpenAI allegedly betrayed its nonprofit founding commitments

According to court documents, Musk accuses OpenAI of abandoning the nonprofit mission it promised at the time of its founding. The court documents show that OpenAI was founded in 2015 after Sam Altman persuaded Musk to join as a co-founder, positioning it as a nonprofit research lab whose technology “would belong to everyone in the world.” After Musk invested millions of dollars in OpenAI, he left. OpenAI then established a for-profit subsidiary, citing the funding required to build data centers. Microsoft has invested billions of dollars in OpenAI, and OpenAI currently operates under a hybrid governance structure, with the nonprofit foundation controlling the for-profit division.

OpenAI’s rebuttal position and the core dispute between both sides

According to OpenAI’s rebuttal position submitted in court documents, the split with Musk stems from Musk’s pursuit of absolute control over the company, not the status of a nonprofit organization. OpenAI posted on its official X account: “The essence of this case has always been Elon Musk trying to seize more power and money to satisfy his own personal desires. His lawsuit is nothing more than a harassment campaign driven by ego, jealousy, and the desire to hinder competitors.”

OpenAI also pointed out in its court documents that only days after Musk joined the artificial intelligence competition in 2023, he publicly called for a six-month pause on advanced artificial intelligence development work.

Musk’s requests for relief and the court’s ruling mechanism

According to court documents, Musk’s requests for relief include: ordering OpenAI to revert to a purely nonprofit organization, and replacing co-founders Greg Brockman and Sam Altman. Musk previously sought up to $134 billion in damages; he later withdrew claims for personal earnings and promised to donate any compensation money to OpenAI’s nonprofit organization. According to court documents, Judge Gonzalez Rogers retains the right to decide any compensation plan on her own, without involving the jury in this part.

Frequently asked questions

What specific accusations does Musk make against OpenAI, and how will the trial be conducted?

According to court documents, Musk accuses OpenAI of betraying the nonprofit mission it promised when it was founded in 2015. The trial begins on April 27, 2026 (Monday) in California with jury selection. Presiding Judge Gonzalez Rogers will base her final ruling, to be issued by mid-May, on the jury’s investigation findings in consultation with the jury.

What legal remedies is Musk seeking in the lawsuit?

According to court documents, Musk asks the court to order OpenAI to revert to a purely nonprofit organization and to replace CEO Altman and President Brockman. Musk previously sought $134 billion in compensation; he later withdrew his claims for personal earnings and promised to donate any compensation money to OpenAI’s nonprofit organization.

Why is Microsoft CEO Nadella listed to testify, and what is his relationship with OpenAI?

According to court documents, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will appear to testify during the trial. Microsoft is OpenAI’s major investor; it has invested billions of dollars in OpenAI and holds a corresponding interest under OpenAI’s current hybrid governance structure.