Jury hands victory to Sam Altman in battle with Elon Musk over OpenAI's mission

2 days ago

A federal jury in Oakland ruled in favor of Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, finding them not liable for unjust enrichment and breach of contract in Elon Musk's lawsuit.
Elon Musk's claims that Altman "stole a charity" were rebuked by the jury, though the verdict is advisory, leaving the judge to issue a final ruling, which she indicated she would align with.
The trial featured testimony from prominent Silicon Valley executives, including Musk, Altman, Brockman, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, during a three-week proceedings.
Musk sought $134 billion in redistribution from OpenAI's for-profit arm to its non-profit and demanded the removal of Altman and Brockman, as well as reversal of the company's for-profit restructuring.
Musk alleged that OpenAI's restructuring into a for-profit entity breached founding agreements, accusing defendants of breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment.
OpenAI rejected Musk's claims, stating he was aware of for-profit plans, and argued he was motivated by jealousy after a failed takeover attempt in 2018.
OpenAI maintains it is still overseen by its nonprofit organization and dedicated to its mission of helping the world with technology.
The trial included testimony from OpenAI executives and academic experts, with both sides presenting private communications to detail the company's founding and for-profit transition.

Hasty Briefsbeta