Silicon Valley’s closely watched legal battle between Elon Musk and the co-founders of OpenAI is nearing its conclusion, with the case expected to move to a jury after three weeks of high-profile testimony that has exposed internal disputes over the origins, control and direction of the artificial intelligence company.The trial, which began on April 28, centres on Musk’s allegations that OpenAI deviated from its original non-profit mission and betrayed founding commitments.

In court, Musk portrayed himself as an early benefactor of the organisation, claiming he contributed around $38 million during its formation in 2015 and played a key role in assembling its founding team. He also warned that artificial intelligence, if mismanaged, could pose existential risks to humanity, stating it could potentially “kill us all.”OpenAI CEO Sam Altman pushed back strongly during his testimony, arguing that Musk himself had previously sought dominant control within the organisation.

Altman told the court that Musk had once demanded a 90 per cent equity stake and refused to formally commit to shared governance, adding that the structure of OpenAI was designed to prevent any single individual from exercising unchecked control over artificial general intelligence.Another focal point of the proceedings was testimony from OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, whose personal notebooks were presented in court. The journals included candid remarks about financial ambitions and internal concerns over governance changes, including references to tensions involving Musk.

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Brockman also described a 2017 confrontation in which he believed Musk might become physically aggressive, though no physical altercation occurred. He maintained that he held no regret over his recorded notes and defended his actions during cross-examination.The trial also featured testimony from Shivon Zilis, whose dual connections to Musk and OpenAI drew significant attention. Zilis, who served on OpenAI’s board between 2020 and 2023, was questioned about her communications with both Musk and Altman and her role in internal discussions.

OpenAI’s legal team has suggested she may have acted as an intermediary, while her testimony highlighted complex personal and professional overlaps within the AI company’s early governance structure.As the trial moves toward jury deliberation, legal experts say the outcome may depend heavily on documentary evidence and communications between key figures rather than courtroom testimony alone. The case is expected to have significant implications for how AI companies structure governance and balance private control with public-interest commitments, particularly as artificial intelligence development continues to accelerate globally.

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