Microsoft CEO questioned in Elon Musk’s OpenAI nonprofit trial

In short: A judge is hearing a lawsuit that claims OpenAI drifted from its nonprofit mission, and Microsoft’s CEO was questioned about how much influence Microsoft has.

What's going on

A civil trial is underway in U.S. District Court in Oakland, California. Elon Musk is suing OpenAI leaders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. Jury selection began on May 11, 2026, and the case is being overseen by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.

Musk helped fund OpenAI early on, giving about $44 million to $50 million between 2015 and 2018. He argues that OpenAI was set up to act like a charity focused on safe and broadly helpful AI. He says the organization later shifted toward making money, especially after Microsoft invested about $13 billion.

OpenAI says it did not break its promises. It argues that building advanced AI takes huge amounts of computing power, which is expensive, and that a for profit arm helps pay the bills (like adding a paid subscription to support a free public service). OpenAI also says Musk’s lawsuit is an attempt to slow a rival, since Musk launched his own AI company, xAI, in 2023.

In court, executives have faced tough questions about OpenAI’s restructuring and personal gains. Greg Brockman testified on May 11 and acknowledged he did not make a $100,000 donation he pledged in 2015. Recent coverage also describes Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella being questioned about whether Microsoft has too much control over what was originally presented as an AI nonprofit.

What to watch

The jury’s verdict is expected to be advisory, and the judge will make the final decision. The outcome could affect how AI groups structure themselves, especially when they start as nonprofits and later take major corporate funding.

Source: NYTimes