Tempers flared between Elon Musk and OpenAI’s lawyer on Thursday as the legal battle entered its third day. The trial centers on Musk’s claim that OpenAI abandoned its founding mission and turned into a for-profit company.
OpenAI lawyer William Savitt questioned Musk about earlier testimony regarding profit caps, leading to sharp exchanges. Musk accused Savitt of asking misleading questions designed to trick him and the jury.
During questioning, Savitt asked why Musk has not started a nonprofit himself, eight years after he left OpenAI. Musk replied: "I thought I had started a nonprofit with OpenAI but they stole it."
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers limited the scope of the trial, stating it was not about the safety risks of AI or whether AI has damaged humanity. She told both sides not to turn the case into a broader AI existential risk debate.
The trial continues in federal court in Oakland, California.
Musk was the biggest individual financial backer of OpenAI, contributing more than $44 million to the then-startup.