Elon Musk is pursuing the removal of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and President Greg Brockman through a lawsuit, alleging fraud over his $38 million donation based on promises that the company would remain a nonprofit.
Lawsuit and Remedies Sought
- Musk sued OpenAI and Altman in 2024, claiming the company "assiduously manipulated" and "deceived" him into donating.
- He seeks a court order to remove Altman from the nonprofit board and both Altman and Brockman as officers of the for-profit arm.
- Musk demands OpenAI revert to nonprofit operations and return all "ill-gotten gains," including from Microsoft, estimated at $134 billion.
Trial Schedule
- Jury selection begins April 27, 2025, at the federal court in Oakland, California.
Background and Business Rivalry
- Musk co-founded OpenAI as a nonprofit AI lab in 2015 but left in 2018 after failed merger talks with Tesla.
- In 2023, he launched rival xAI, which developed Grok; SpaceX acquired xAI in February in a deal valuing the entity at $1.25 trillion.
OpenAI's Counterclaims
- OpenAI accused Musk of anti-competitive behavior, alleging he coordinates efforts to undermine the company, including with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
- The company urged California and Delaware attorneys general to investigate Musk's actions ahead of the trial.