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US Jury Rejects Musk’s Claims Against OpenAI in High-Stakes AI Trial

By  |  May 18, 2026

A U.S. jury on Monday ruled against Elon Musk in his lawsuit against OpenAI, finding that the artificial intelligence company was not liable for claims that it had abandoned its founding mission of developing AI for the benefit of humanity, according to Reuters.

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    The unanimous verdict was delivered in federal court in Oakland, California, where jurors determined that Musk had filed his claims too late, per Reuters. The trial, which began on April 28, drew significant attention from the technology and business communities because of its potential implications for the future governance of artificial intelligence and the financial interests surrounding the rapidly growing industry.

    Over the course of 11 days, jurors heard testimony and legal arguments focused not only on OpenAI’s corporate direction but also on the credibility of both Musk and OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman. According to Reuters, attorneys on both sides repeatedly challenged the motives and honesty of their opponents, accusing one another of prioritizing financial gain over public interest.

    In his closing argument, Musk’s attorney Steven Molo sought to cast doubt on Altman’s trustworthiness, telling jurors, “Sam Altman’s credibility is directly at issue. If you don’t believe him, they cannot win.”

    Musk argued that OpenAI had shifted away from its original nonprofit mission by seeking to enrich investors and insiders while failing to adequately prioritize the safe development of artificial intelligence, according to Reuters. He also alleged that Microsoft had long been aware that OpenAI’s focus had turned toward commercial objectives.

    Related: OpenAI Urges Antitrust Scrutiny of Elon Musk Ahead of Trial

    OpenAI rejected those accusations, arguing instead that Musk had delayed too long in bringing his claims and suggesting his own motivations were financial. In closing arguments, OpenAI attorney William Savitt told jurors, “Mr. Musk may have the Midas touch in some areas, but not in AI.”

    The case unfolded at a time when artificial intelligence is increasingly integrated into industries ranging from education and journalism to healthcare, legal services, financial planning, and facial recognition. At the same time, the technology continues to face public skepticism, with concerns over job displacement, misinformation, and the spread of deep-fake content, according to Reuters.

    OpenAI currently competes with companies including Anthropic and xAI, and is reportedly preparing for a potential initial public offering that could value the company at as much as $1 trillion, per Reuters.

    During testimony, a Microsoft executive said the company has invested more than $100 billion into its partnership with OpenAI, according to Reuters.

    Meanwhile, Musk’s xAI has become part of SpaceX, which is also preparing for a public offering that could potentially surpass OpenAI’s in size, per Reuters.

    Source: Reuters