Elon Musk’s lawyer said after the verdict that "this one is not over" and that the billionaire planned to appeal.
Elon Musk arrives at the US District Court in Oakland, Calif., Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026. (Photo: AP/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
19 May 2026 05:01AM
OAKLAND: A US jury on Monday (May 18) ruled against Elon Musk in his lawsuit against OpenAI, finding the artificial intelligence company not liable to the world's richest person for having allegedly strayed from its original mission to benefit humanity.In a unanimous verdict, the jury in Oakland, California, federal court said Musk had brought his case too late. The jury deliberated less than two hours.The trial had widely been seen as a critical moment for the future of OpenAI and artificial intelligence generally, both in how it should be used and who should benefit from it.The decision simplifies the path for OpenAI to proceed with a possible initial public offering that could value the business at US$1 trillion. But the public face of the company, Chief Executive Sam Altman, must also deal with any challenges to his reputation from some extremely personal testimony, including multiple witnesses describing him as a liar.
Following the verdict, Musk's lawyers said in court that he reserved the right to appeal. Addressing reporters after the verdict, Musk lawyer Marc Toberoff said Musk would have a strong basis for an appeal."This one is not over," he said. "The ruling, based on the statute of limitations, has factual components but it has major legal components as well."US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who oversaw the trial, said in court that Musk may face an uphill battle for a potential appeal because whether the statute of limitations ran out before Musk sued was a factual issue."There's a substantial amount of evidence to support the jury's finding, which is why I was prepared to dismiss on the spot," the judge said.
