Elon Musk testified for a third day in his lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAI, facing cross-examination that grew contentious. Musk accused the company's lawyer of attempting to deceive him during questioning.
The trial centers on Musk's claim that OpenAI violated its founding mission as a nonprofit by pursuing commercial interests and partnering with Microsoft. Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but left its board in 2018.
The cross-examination marks a critical phase of the case. Musk's legal team argues that OpenAI transformed from a research-focused nonprofit into a for-profit venture aligned with Microsoft's business goals, abandoning its original charter to benefit humanity. OpenAI has disputed these characterizations.
Musk's testimony has been aggressive, with multiple heated exchanges. His accusation that opposing counsel tried to trick him reflects the adversarial tone of proceedings. The trial will determine whether OpenAI's pivot to commercialization constitutes breach of contract or violation of the organization's stated principles.
The case has drawn attention as a high-profile dispute between two major figures in artificial intelligence. Musk has become increasingly critical of OpenAI's direction since his departure, particularly after the company's ChatGPT launch and subsequent Microsoft investment.