Elon Musk and Sam Altman are facing a nine-person advisory jury [1] after a civil trial regarding the control of OpenAI.
The outcome of the case could redefine the legal boundaries of nonprofit governance and the ownership of artificial intelligence assets. At the center of the dispute is the alleged misuse of OpenAI’s nonprofit charitable entity and a struggle for control over the organization's direction.
Musk said Altman deceived others surrounding the control of the nonprofit arm. He specifically alleged that Altman attempted to "steal a charity" [2]. The dispute involves a charity with a valuation of $852 billion [1].
The trial lasted three weeks before moving into the deliberation phase [3]. Reports indicate that the jury began deliberations on 13 May 2026 [2] and again on 16 May 2026 [1].
During the proceedings, Sam Altman and another OpenAI co-founder provided testimony [4]. The arguments focused on whether the transition of the entity from a nonprofit to a more commercial structure violated its original purpose, a point of contention that has fueled the legal battle between the former collaborators.
Musk and Altman have remained locked in this legal conflict as the court determines if the leadership of OpenAI acted in bad faith. The jury's decision will likely hinge on the interpretation of the nonprofit's governing documents and the testimony provided during the three-week trial [3].
“Musk accuses Altman of trying to "steal a charity"”
This trial represents a critical test for the 'nonprofit' model used by many AI labs to launch. If the court finds that OpenAI's leadership deceived founders or misused charitable assets to build a commercial empire, it could trigger a wave of similar litigation across the tech sector and lead to stricter regulatory oversight of AI governance.
