The Musk vs. Altman trial is in its third week, and things just got personal. On May 12, Sam Altman himself took the stand — and his version of events is quite different from Elon Musk’s.
Altman’s Core Argument
Musk’s lawyers claim Altman and Microsoft effectively stole a charity. Altman sees it very differently. His argument: Musk didn’t lose OpenAI — he abandoned it. And the shift to a for-profit structure was the only way to raise the kind of money needed to develop AI safely.
The most explosive claim: Altman testified that Musk had early on demanded a controlling stake in OpenAI — 90 percent, according to Al Jazeera. Alternatively, Musk proposed merging OpenAI with Tesla. Both were rejected.
The Text That Changes Everything
Musk’s lawyer Steven Molo confronted Altman with a text from February 18, 2023, where Altman wrote that he was tremendously thankful for everything Musk had done and that OpenAI wouldn’t have happened without him. When asked if he’d changed his view since then, Altman answered directly: yes, he had changed his view on Elon significantly.
Microsoft Had Its Own Doubts
What also surfaced: Microsoft had internal concerns about its OpenAI dependence as early as 2018. The day before, CEO Satya Nadella testified that Musk had never contacted him directly about Microsoft’s investment. Internal emails paint a picture of a partner who wasn’t entirely sure the bet would pay off.
What’s Next
The trial is approaching closing arguments. Whatever the jury decides, the damage on both sides is already done. Musk admitted that xAI distills OpenAI’s models. Altman acknowledged that he’s fundamentally changed his opinion about his former mentor.
For the AI industry, this trial is more than a celebrity feud. It’s about who gets to control the most powerful technology of our time — and what obligations come with that power.
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