Altman Testifies OpenAI Was ‘Left for Dead’ After Musk Exit
SAN FRANCISCO — OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took the stand Tuesday in the Musk v. OpenAI trial, testifying that the artificial intelligence nonprofit was “left for dead” after co-founder Elon Musk departed the organization’s board, according to CNBC.
Altman’s testimony offered a detailed public account of the circumstances surrounding Musk’s exit from OpenAI, the AI research lab he helped found in 2015. The trial, playing out in federal court, pits the two technology executives against each other over the future of one of the world’s most valuable AI companies.
Musk has accused Altman and OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman of attempting to “steal a charity,” alleging that the pair orchestrated the organization’s conversion from a nonprofit research lab into a for-profit entity in violation of its founding mission, CNBC reported.
Altman pushed back on that characterization during his testimony, portraying Musk’s departure as a moment that left OpenAI struggling to survive. The CEO’s framing of the nonprofit as having been abandoned before its eventual recovery is central to OpenAI’s defense — that the structural changes Musk now challenges were necessary to attract the capital needed to pursue its AI research mission.
The trial carries implications beyond the two principals. OpenAI’s proposed conversion from a nonprofit to a for-profit structure has drawn scrutiny from California’s attorney general, members of Congress and AI governance advocates who argue the shift sets a troubling precedent for how mission-driven organizations handle valuable intellectual property.
The case also arrives at a moment of intense debate over AI governance in the United States. Federal lawmakers have introduced competing frameworks for AI regulation, and the outcome of the Musk-Altman dispute could influence how courts and regulators evaluate the obligations of AI organizations that were founded with public-benefit mandates.
Musk, who also leads Tesla, SpaceX and xAI — his own competing AI venture — has positioned himself as a defender of OpenAI’s original open-source mission. Critics have noted that Musk launched xAI after his falling out with OpenAI, raising questions about whether the lawsuit is motivated by competitive interests.
The trial is expected to continue in the coming days, with additional testimony anticipated from other OpenAI executives and board members. A ruling could affect the organization’s corporate restructuring and the broader debate over how AI companies balance profit motives with public interest commitments.
