As the trial over OpenAI nears its conclusion, lawyers for Elon Musk and Sam Altman traded sharp accusations in court. Musk’s legal team argued that Altman lacked credibility, accusing him of dishonesty and prioritizing profit over AI safety. They claimed OpenAI abandoned its original nonprofit mission by partnering with investors like Microsoft and restructuring itself to generate massive financial gains for insiders.

Musk alleges he was misled into contributing $38 million to OpenAI and says the organization secretly shifted toward a for-profit model backed by billions in outside investments. He is seeking roughly $150 billion in damages, which would go to OpenAI’s nonprofit arm, and also wants Altman and OpenAI President Greg Brockman removed from leadership positions.

During closing arguments, Musk's lawyer Steven Molo pointed to testimony from several witnesses, including former OpenAI Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever, claiming Altman could not be trusted. Molo also criticized Brockman’s enormous personal stake in the company and accused OpenAI of enriching investors while neglecting AI safety concerns. Microsoft was also accused of knowingly supporting OpenAI’s alleged misconduct.

OpenAI’s defense rejected those accusations, arguing Musk himself pushed to turn OpenAI into a company he could control. Their lawyers said the organization needed major funding to compete in AI development and claimed Musk was fully aware of those plans while serving on OpenAI’s board. They also argued his lawsuit came too late under the statute of limitations and accused him of “selective amnesia” regarding past agreements and investment discussions.

The case unfolds amid growing public concern over artificial intelligence, including fears about job displacement, misinformation, deepfakes, and the broader societal impact of AI systems. A jury is expected to begin deliberations Monday, while the court will also consider possible restructuring measures and damages if Musk prevails. Meanwhile, OpenAI continues competing with rivals such as Anthropic and xAI, as reports suggest the company may pursue a future IPO valuing it near $1 trillion.