Elon Musk finished his testimony on Thursday, April 30, 2026, in a federal trial regarding his lawsuit against OpenAI and co-founder Sam Altman.

The case centers on the fundamental governance of artificial intelligence and whether a company can pivot from a nonprofit mission to a commercial powerhouse. If the court finds that OpenAI breached its original agreement, it could force a massive restructuring of the industry's most prominent AI lab.

Musk testified for three consecutive days [1] at the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Oakland, California. The legal battle began with a lawsuit filed in 2024 [2], in which Musk accused OpenAI, Sam Altman, and Greg Brockman of reneging on a 2018 promise. According to the filing, that agreement stipulated that OpenAI would remain a nonprofit dedicated to the benefit of humanity.

During the proceedings, the court examined the tension between the company's original charter and its current operational model. The trial is scheduled to last four weeks [3].

Legal arguments have diverged on the potential outcomes of the case. Some reports suggest the lawsuit seeks to block OpenAI from taking the company public later this year. Other perspectives suggest that a victory for Musk could lead to the removal of Sam Altman and a permanent return to nonprofit status.

The testimony concluded on Thursday after Musk spent the week facing questioning about the early days of the organization and the specific nature of the 2018 pledge. The court will now move toward further evidence and arguments as the four-week schedule continues.

“Musk testified for three consecutive days”

This trial serves as a litmus test for the enforceability of 'founder agreements' in the rapidly evolving AI sector. A ruling in favor of Musk would establish a precedent that nonprofit commitments can override commercial scaling, potentially disrupting the current venture-capital-driven model of AI development.