Elon Musk arrives at the trial against OpenAI in Oakland, California, on April 28, 2026. JESSICA CHRISTIAN/ SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE VIA AP
When it comes to Elon Musk, there are two enduring legends: one, of the short-lived adviser to Donald Trump, a hardline anti-woke figure, hungry for power and money; and the other, the entrepreneurial genius who invented SpaceX and developed Tesla, aspiring to improve humanity. These two irreconcilable narratives were at the heart of the trial that got underway on Tuesday, April 28, at the federal courthouse in Oakland, California.
The case pits Musk, 54, against Sam Altman, 41, head of the artificial intelligence firm OpenAI. Musk has accused Altman of diverting the nonprofit foundation – which they had launched together in 2015 – for personal gain, with the complicity of Microsoft. The press flocked to cover this high-profile trial. It heard both sides: the arguments from the lawyers representing OpenAI and Microsoft, and Musk's version. His testimony began with him being questioned for an hour and 40 minutes by his lawyer.
A true colossus, squeezed into his gray suit and constantly sipping water, he immediately took the moral high ground as he sat before his microphone. "I think it's very simple (...): It's not okay to steal a charity. If we make it okay to loot a charity, the entire foundation of charitable giving in America will be destroyed. That's my concern," he said.
