OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testified in an ongoing trial in 2026 that Elon Musk sought control of and financial gain from OpenAI, pushing back against Musk’s accusations that Altman betrayed the company’s founding mission.
Altman’s testimony comes as the two figures — both central to OpenAI’s origins — face off in a legal dispute that could significantly shape the company’s future. Musk is seeking substantial damages in the case and is also calling for the removal of Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman from their roles at the company.
The key parties involved are Altman, Musk, and Brockman, along with OpenAI itself — the organization behind the widely used ChatGPT platform. The trial’s outcome could affect OpenAI’s structure and its potential trillion-dollar valuation.
According to Altman’s testimony, Musk’s motivations were tied to gaining control and financial benefit from OpenAI, a characterization that directly contradicts Musk’s framing of the dispute as a principled stand against a betrayal of the company’s original nonprofit mission.
The stakes of the trial are considerable. A ruling in Musk’s favor could result in leadership changes at one of the most prominent AI companies in the world and may influence how OpenAI proceeds with its broader commercial and structural ambitions. The case could also have implications for OpenAI’s valuation trajectory, which sources suggest may reach into the trillions.
Source: Tech-Economic Times