Elon Musk and Sam Altman Head to Court - Time Magazine

The trial between Elon Musk and OpenAI continued on April 28, 2026, with the court hearing opening statements. The trial is expected to last until late May. The case centers on Musk's claim that OpenAI violated its original nonprofit mission by creating a for-profit subsidiary in 2019. Musk, a co-founder who left the board in 2018, argues the for-profit structure benefited Microsoft and enriched executives.

During opening statements, Musk's legal team argued that OpenAI's shift to a for-profit model represented a fundamental betrayal of its founding charter, which committed to developing artificial intelligence for the benefit of all. Altman's defense contended that the for-profit arm was necessary to raise capital for the company's ambitious AI projects, and that the mission remained unchanged. Former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, who briefly participated in a board decision to remove Altman in late 2023, may offer insight into internal governance disputes.

The trial's outcome could set a precedent for how AI companies balance nonprofit goals with commercial realities. Both sides have signaled they may appeal depending on the verdict. The proceedings are being closely watched by the AI industry and legal scholars as a test case for corporate mission enforcement.