‘OpenAI Was My Idea’ — Elon Musk Tells Court in Ongoing Trial

Elon Musk has told a U.S. court that OpenAI was originally his idea, accusing company executives of betraying its founding vision during a high-stakes trial over the future of the AI firm.

Testifying in court, Musk claimed the organisation was conceived as a nonprofit initiative aimed at benefiting humanity, but was later transformed into a profit-driven entity.

During his testimony, he argued that executives deviated from the original mission, stating that allowing such actions could undermine trust in charitable organisations.

The case, which pits Musk against OpenAI leadership including CEO Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman, centers on whether the company’s transition from a nonprofit to a for-profit structure violated its founding principles.

Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015, is seeking billions in damages and has called for the removal of current leadership, as well as a return to the organisation’s nonprofit roots.

OpenAI, however, has rejected the claims, arguing that the shift to a for-profit model was necessary to compete globally in the fast-growing artificial intelligence sector.

The trial, which began in California, is expected to last several weeks and could have far-reaching implications for the governance, funding, and future direction of AI development worldwide.