Murati Testifies She ‘Couldn’t Trust’ Altman as Musk-OpenAI Trial Heats Up
SAN FRANCISCO — Former OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati testified she could not trust CEO Sam Altman’s words, according to The Verge, in the ongoing trial stemming from Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI.
Murati’s testimony comes as the trial continues to draw scrutiny from the AI industry. The case centers on OpenAI’s conversion from a nonprofit research lab to a for-profit corporation — a transformation that critics say betrays the organization’s founding mission to develop artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity.
Prediction markets give Musk limited odds of prevailing, according to CNBC, which reported on current market sentiment surrounding the lawsuit. The markets, which allow participants to wager on the outcome of real-world events, suggest that Musk faces an uphill battle despite the high-profile nature of his claims.
The lawsuit, filed by Musk — himself a co-founder and early funder of OpenAI — alleges that Altman and the organization violated their original nonprofit charter by pursuing a for-profit structure. OpenAI has undergone a rapid corporate evolution in recent years, attracting tens of billions of dollars in investment from Microsoft and other backers as it commercialized products like ChatGPT.
As OpenAI’s former CTO, Murati held one of the most senior technical positions at the company before her departure and would have had direct insight into leadership decision-making and internal communications. Her testimony that she could not trust Altman’s words bears on broader questions about governance and transparency at OpenAI, as reported by The Verge.
The trial has also surfaced tensions between Musk and OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, adding another dimension to the interpersonal conflicts that have defined OpenAI’s corporate history.
The case has drawn attention to questions about the legal limits of nonprofit-to-for-profit conversions in the technology sector. A ruling against OpenAI could set a precedent affecting how AI organizations structure themselves, potentially complicating future attempts by mission-driven research labs to raise commercial capital.
For Musk, the lawsuit also carries strategic implications. He founded xAI, a competing artificial intelligence company, and has been a vocal critic of OpenAI’s direction since his departure from its board in 2018. OpenAI has previously argued that Musk’s legal challenge is motivated in part by competitive interests rather than purely philanthropic concerns.
The trial is ongoing in a U.S. court, with additional testimony and evidence expected in the coming days.
