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Elon Musk’s $134 Billion Lawsuit Against Sam Altman Heads to Trial

At a Monday court hearing, Musk said his lawsuit seeks to defend charitable donations, restore OpenAI’s nonprofit status, and remove current executives over its alleged shift from its original mission.

Fact Check
The claim is strongly supported by contemporaneous reporting. CNBC's 'Judge in Musk v. Altman seats nine-person jury. Opening arguments start Tuesday' directly confirms that a jury was seated in Oakland on April 27, 2026, meaning jury selection had begun and the case was at trial. CNBC's earlier 'Musk v. Altman heads to court next week. Here's what's at stake' states the trial would begin Monday with jury selection and describes Musk's demand for up to $134 billion tied to OpenAI's restructuring. crypto.news independently matches those facts, saying jury selection began April 27, 2026 in Oakland and that the dispute centers on OpenAI's shift toward a for-profit structure. A Reuters result further corroborates that April 27 in Oakland was the day of jury selection in Musk's lawsuit over OpenAI's for-profit conversion. The only minor caveat is that the exact defendant framing is broader in some reports, often describing the case as against OpenAI and Altman rather than only 'against Sam Altman.'
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Summary

Elon Musk’s civil lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAI continued in federal court in Oakland, California, with Musk testifying at a Monday hearing that the case is a defense of charitable donations. Musk accused Altman and Greg Brockman of abandoning OpenAI’s original nonprofit mission and asked the court to restore the organization’s nonprofit status and remove its current executives. The broader case, which moved into opening arguments on April 28 after jury selection began April 27, seeks up to $134 billion in damages and challenges OpenAI’s shift toward a for-profit model. Musk has also argued that OpenAI depended on his $38 million in early funding and his role in recruiting top AI scientists.

Terms & Concepts
  • Nonprofit mission: An organizational purpose focused on public or charitable goals rather than maximizing profits for owners or shareholders.