Jury set to deliberate and return a verdict on whether they believe AI firm and Altman are liable in case
Closing arguments began on Thursday in Elon Musk’s lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAI, bringing the weeks-long courtroom battle between the two tech moguls nearer to a decision. A nine-person jury is set to deliberate and return a verdict on whether they believe the AI firm and Altman are liable in the case.
The trial, which began last month in an Oakland, California, federal courthouse, has gripped Silicon Valley and featured some of the tech industry’s biggest names as witnesses. Attorneys for both sides have presented testimony and documents that have exposed Musk and Altman’s private dealings, as well as provided a window into the contentious history of OpenAI.
Musk has sought to prove that Altman, OpenAI and its president, Greg Brockman, broke a founding agreement of the non-profit company when they restructured it into a for-profit entity, accusing them of bilking him out of money and unjustly enriching themselves. OpenAI has rejected all Musk’s claims, arguing that he is motivated by jealousy after a failed bid to take over the firm in 2018 and was always aware of plans to create a for-profit. They have also argued that OpenAI’s non-profit still oversees the company and is one of the most well-resourced charities in the world.
