The ongoing disagreement between Elon Musk and OpenAI is becoming even more heated as both sides prepare for trial later this month. The latest twist in their legal battle saw OpenAI accuse Elon Musk and his recent proposals of being a “legal ambush,” as first reported by Bloomberg. OpenAI filed its response on Friday, stating that Musk was “deliberately delaying the defendants and causing confusion in the proceedings, while trying to change his public story about his lawsuit.”
The lawsuit began in 2024 when Elon Musk sued both OpenAI and Microsoft. He accused the AI company of abandoning its original mission to be a non-profit organization. Instead, he claimed, it turned into a for-profit business after getting financial support and partnering with Microsoft.
Before OpenAI’s latest filing, Musk changed his original complaint. He now seeks to award any damages received to OpenAI’s non-profit division instead. Musk’s updated complaint, filed earlier this month, also aimed to remove Sam Altman from his position as OpenAI’s CEO and board member. In its Friday filing, OpenAI argued that Musk’s last-minute changes were “legally incorrect and not supported by facts.”
A lot is at stake in this lawsuit, as Musk is reportedly seeking damages ranging from $79 billion to $134 billion for “wrongful gains.” Both OpenAI and Microsoft deny any wrongdoing, according to Bloomberg. The trial is still scheduled to begin on April 27.
