Elon Musk, left, and Sam Altman, center, during a conference at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit in San Francisco, California, on October 6, 2015. MIKE WINDLE/GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP
Elon Musk vs. Sam Altman. The trial pitting Silicon Valley's two most notorious mavericks begins Monday, April 27, in Oakland, California, just across the bay from San Francisco. The case is expected to captivate the artificial intelligence sector for weeks. Musk, 54, has accused Altman, 41, of betraying him by turning OpenAI – originally a nonprofit they co-founded – into a for-profit company backed by Microsoft's help, from which Altman has personally profited. But at its core, this is a power struggle for leadership in AI, fueled by money, egos, betrayals and deep-seated animosity.
The trial, where both AI figures are expected to testify, already promises to be tense, judging by their statements on X: "Scam Altman lies as easily as he breathes," Musk posted in the summer of 2025. "Really excited to get Elon under oath in a few months, Christmas in April!" Altman wrote in February 2026, ahead of the trial. "There will be plenty of low blows and barbs exchanged in court between Musk and Altman. That's not good for anyone involved. But Musk has turned this matter into a personal vendetta," said Dan Ives, a prominent financial analyst at Wedbush Securities.
