Elon Musk Tells His Side of OpenAI's Beginnings in OpenAI Trial

The trial centers on the 2015 birth of the ChatGPT maker as a nonprofit startup primarily funded by Musk before evolving into a capitalistic venture now valued at $852 billion.

Associated Press

Apr 29, 2026 — 2 min read

Photo of Elon Musk arriving at the U.S. District Court in Oakland, Calif., Tuesday, April 28, 2026, by Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP

OAKLAND, Calif., April 29, 2026 (AP) — Elon Musk took the stand for the second day Wednesday in the landmark trial that pits the world's richest person against Sam Altman, a fellow OpenAI co-founder he accuses of betraying promises to keep the company as a nonprofit dedicated to humanity's benefit.

The trial centers on the 2015 birth of the ChatGPT maker as a nonprofit startup primarily funded by Musk before evolving into a capitalistic venture now valued at $852 billion.

Musk, who invested about $38 million in OpenAI from December 2015 through May 2017, gave his account of OpenAI’s early years, recounting how he lost confidence that Altman would keep it a nonprofit. Questioned by his lawyer Steven Molo, Musk said by late 2022 he was concerned Altman was trying to “steal the charity.”

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AI Elon Musk Sam Altman OpenAI Steven Molo William Savitt Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers Tesla AP

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