Elon Musk-OpenAI courtroom showdown enters crucial second week

Elon Musk’s high-stakes courtroom battle against OpenAI entered its second week on Monday, with co-founder Greg Brockman expected to face questioning as the billionaire pushes to force the ChatGPT maker back under a nonprofit structure.

The closely watched trial in Oakland, California, follows three days of testimony from Musk, who accused OpenAI executives of betraying the company’s founding mission of developing artificial intelligence (AI) for the benefit of humanity rather than private profit.

Musk told the court he contributed about $38 million in the company’s early years and backed its launch as a safeguard against dominant tech rivals such as Google.

Brockman, OpenAI’s president and one of its original architects, is now set to answer Musk’s claims that the organisation quietly transformed into a commercial powerhouse through deep financial ties with Microsoft. Microsoft chief Satya Nadella could also be called to testify later this week.

OpenAI chief Sam Altman, once viewed as Musk’s protégé, is expected on the stand next week in what has become one of Silicon Valley’s most consequential legal showdowns.

The case could have sweeping implications for OpenAI, now valued at more than $850 billion and reportedly preparing for a future public offering.

A ruling in Musk’s favor could complicate that path and potentially reshape the competitive AI race as firms including Google, Anthropic and Chinese tech companies battle for dominance in the rapidly expanding sector.