Elon Musk sues OpenAI and Sam Altman over company direction; trial starts April 27 in Oakland

Elon Musk, who cofounded OpenAI in 2015 but left after being passed over for CEO, is bringing a lawsuit to trial on April 27, 2025 in Oakland, California against OpenAI and Sam Altman (the company's current leader). Musk's claims have shifted multiple times over two years, ranging from breach of contract to false advertising.

The trial will force both Musk and Altman to testify publicly about their disputes over OpenAI's direction — including its shift from a nonprofit research organization to a for-profit company and its partnership with Microsoft. Internal emails and strategic decisions will likely be revealed in court documents.

If you follow AI industry news or hold stock in companies connected to OpenAI (like Microsoft), expect major headlines in late April about internal conflicts at one of the world's most influential AI labs. The testimony could shed light on how OpenAI makes decisions about which products to build and who controls them.