Musk v. Altman: Jury to Deliberate in OpenAI Lawsuit

Closing arguments have concluded in the federal court trial of Musk v. Altman in Oakland, California. Attorneys for Elon Musk and OpenAI presented their final statements to the jury on Thursday. Here's the thing: A nine-person jury, made up of six women and three men, will begin deliberations on Monday. Their verdict will be advisory, meaning Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will make the final decision on liability. Musk sued OpenAI, its CEO Sam Altman, and President Greg Brockman in 2024. He alleges they broke a commitment to keep the AI startup a nonprofit and unjustly enriched themselves. Musk claims his roughly $38 million donation was used for unauthorized commercial purposes. His lawyer, Steven Molo, argued that OpenAI failed to open source its technology and prioritize AI safety. OpenAI's attorneys, Sarah Eddy and William Savitt, countered that Altman and Brockman never made commitments to Musk about the company's structure. They stated Musk's donations were properly spent and noted he filed the lawsuit after launching his own AI startup, xAI. Microsoft, also a defendant, presented its closing arguments, denying knowledge of any alleged breach of charitable trust. What's next? As jury deliberations begin Monday, the second stage of the trial, focusing on.