Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, recently concluded his testimony in the federal court trial stemming from Elon Musk’s lawsuit against the artificial intelligence giant. During approximately four hours on the witness stand, Altman directly refuted Musk’s central claim, stating he never promised to maintain OpenAI as a nonprofit entity. Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI alongside Altman and Greg Brockman in 2015, initiated the lawsuit in 2024, alleging that the company reneged on its original charitable mission and misused his approximately $38 million in donations for commercial purposes.

Altman also provided insight into the company’s tumultuous history, including his unexpected ousting as CEO in 2023. He described being “completely caught off guard” and “quite shocked” by the board’s decision, feeling angry and hurt as he believed his life’s work was “about to be destroyed.” He further testified about the internal tensions surrounding Musk’s involvement, stating that Musk’s 2018 departure from OpenAI’s board was a “morale boost” for some researchers, who found his management style “demotivating” and believed he “didn’t understand how to run a good research lab.” Altman also revealed that the OpenAI board unanimously rejected Musk’s previous bid to acquire the company, and he dismissed the idea of merging with Tesla, arguing it would “destroy” OpenAI’s ability to fulfill its mission.

The courtroom witnessed a stark contrast in demeanor between the two tech titans. Altman maintained a calm, albeit at times nervous, presence during his cross-examination, a notable departure from Musk’s earlier combative testimony where he frequently clashed with OpenAI’s legal counsel. Musk’s legal team, however, pressed Altman on his trustworthiness, referencing past concerns raised by various individuals and a New Yorker article questioning his reliability. Altman asserted his belief in his own truthfulness, despite the challenges to his credibility.

Further financial details emerged during Altman’s testimony, including the revelation that Amazon, Nvidia, and SoftBank have each invested more in OpenAI than Microsoft, a defendant in Musk’s suit. Bret Taylor, Chairman of OpenAI’s board, corroborated accounts of the chaotic 2023 period, stating he would only join the board if Altman were reinstated. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also testified, confirming that Musk never contacted him with concerns about Microsoft’s investments violating any specific terms, and characterized the 2023 leadership crisis as “amateur city.” The trial continues to unveil the complex history and high-stakes dynamics behind one of the world’s leading AI companies.