Elon Musk gets testy on the stand: ‘I thought I had started a nonprofit with OpenAI but they stole it’
fortune.com May 2, 2026

Elon Musk gets testy on the stand: ‘I thought I had started a nonprofit with OpenAI but they stole it’

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Elon Musk testified in a contentious trial over OpenAI's pivot from a nonprofit to a for-profit venture, accusing co-founder Sam Altman of betraying promises to keep the company nonprofit. Musk's testimony sparked a heated exchange with an opposing attorney, with the billionaire defending his earlier statements and questioning the attorney's methods. The trial centers on the 2015 birth of ChatGPT maker OpenAI as a nonprofit startup primarily funded by Musk.

💡 Why It Matters

  • · Musk's credibility is on the line as he faces off against OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman in a high-stakes trial that could determine the future of the company.
  • · The outcome may also have implications for Musk's own ventures, including his xAI competitor, which he launched in 2023.