Musk and Altman Arrive At Opening Trial That Could Reshape AI's Future

OpenAI co-founders Elon Musk and Sam Altman appeared in a federal court in Oakland, California, on Tuesday for opening statements in a high-stakes trial stemming from their bitter feud, which could shape the future of artificial intelligence.

The presence of the two billionaires at the courthouse early in the day marked the beginning of a closely watched legal battle, expected to feature dramatic exchanges and potentially revealing details about the former allies-turned-rivals.

The jury was elected Monday and the trial is scheduled to take three weeks.

After the lawyers provide an overview of their respective cases, testimony will begin presenting Musk’s side of a tale chock full of alleged betrayal, deceit and ambition that caused OpenAI to pivot

from its founding mission as an altruistic startupto a capitalistic venturenow valued at $852 billion.

Musk, the world’s richest person with an estimated fortune of $778 billion, is among the witnesses who will testify during the trial. His presence on Tuesday may mean that he will be among the first people to take the witness stand.

Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, is also expected to testify at the trial, along with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, one of the technology leaders who helped fund the late 2022 release of ChatGPT, the chatbot that unleashed the current AI boom that has propelled the stock market to record heights.