A United States jury has ruled against Elon Musk in his high-profile lawsuit against OpenAI, dealing a major blow to the billionaire’s claims that the artificial intelligence company abandoned its original mission to benefit humanity.
The unanimous verdict was delivered in federal court in Oakland, California, where jurors found that Musk had filed the case too late under the statute of limitations.
It is reported that the jury deliberated for less than two hours following an 11-day trial that placed the future direction of artificial intelligence and the commercialisation of AI technology under intense scrutiny.
Musk had accused OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, company president Greg Brockman and the organisation itself of betraying the founding principles of OpenAI after he contributed approximately US$38 million during its early development.
The lawsuit alleged that OpenAI shifted from its original non-profit structure into a profit-driven enterprise closely tied to Microsoft and major investors, while prioritising commercial gain over public benefit and AI safety.
Musk described the alleged conduct as “stealing a charity”.
OpenAI was founded in 2015 by Altman, Musk and several others as a non-profit artificial intelligence research organisation focused on developing safe AI systems for humanity’s benefit. Musk left the board in 2018, before the company established a for-profit arm the following year.
The courtroom battle evolved into a wider clash over the ethics, governance and future control of artificial intelligence, with both sides accusing the other of being motivated by money and power rather than public interest.
Musk’s legal team repeatedly attacked Altman’s credibility during closing arguments, pointing to testimony from witnesses who questioned his honesty and transparency.
OpenAI’s lawyers countered that Musk himself had previously supported a for-profit direction and argued he was attempting to undermine a commercial rival after launching his own AI company, xAI.
OpenAI lawyer William Savitt told jurors Musk’s case amounted to an effort to sabotage a competitor.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers indicated immediately after the verdict that she agreed with the jury’s findings and suggested Musk would face difficulties overturning the outcome on appeal.
“There’s a substantial amount of evidence to support the jury’s finding,” the judge said.
The case was closely watched across the technology industry because of its implications for how advanced AI systems are developed, regulated and monetised.
OpenAI is currently one of the world’s most influential AI firms and is reportedly preparing for a potential public offering that could value the company at around US$1 trillion.
During the trial, testimony revealed Microsoft had invested more than US$100 billion into its partnership with OpenAI.
Meanwhile, Musk’s AI venture xAI has been integrated into SpaceX and is also pursuing rapid expansion amid growing competition in the global AI race.
Following the verdict, Musk announced he intended to appeal, arguing the jury had ruled on a “technicality” rather than the substance of his allegations.
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