A California federal jury has unanimously rejected Elon Musk’s claims that he was wronged by OpenAI co‑founders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, as well as the organization itself and its partner Microsoft. The jurors concluded that Musk’s lawsuits were filed beyond the legally prescribed time limits, effectively ending the case before any substantive merits could be weighed.

Musk had alleged that the defendants had “stolen a charity” by converting the nonprofit AI research lab into a for‑profit entity, thereby causing him financial harm. The court, however, focused on narrow procedural questions, particularly whether the alleged injuries occurred before the filing deadlines set by law. The defense successfully argued that the relevant events fell before August 5, 2021, August 5, 2022, and November 14, 2021, depending on the specific claim, prompting a swift jury deliberation and a verdict in favor of the defendants.

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers praised the strength of the evidence supporting the statute‑of‑limitations defense and indicated she was prepared to dismiss the case outright. OpenAI’s lead counsel hailed the decision as a decisive rebuff of what he described as a “hypocritical attempt to sabotage a competitor.” Microsoft, also named in the suit, welcomed the outcome, reaffirming its commitment to its partnership with OpenAI to advance artificial‑intelligence technology.

Following the ruling, Musk posted on social media that he would appeal the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, framing the dismissal as a procedural victory but insisting the underlying issue of charitable assets being misappropriated remains unresolved. Legal experts note that any appeal will still need to confront the same statutory timing constraints that governed the original trial.