Highlights
- Closing arguments finish in lawsuit over OpenAI's change to for-profit company.
- Musk wants $134bn moved back and seeks removal of Altman and Brockman.
- Trial revealed private conversations between tech leaders and OpenAI's troubled past.
The trial, which began last month at a federal courthouse in Oakland, California, has gripped Silicon Valley.
It included testimony from major tech industry names and showed previously private messages between Musk and Altman.
Musk claims Altman, OpenAI and its president Greg Brockman broke a founding agreement when they changed the non-profit into a for-profit company.
He says they took his money unfairly and made themselves rich improperly. OpenAI has denied all claims, saying Musk acts out of jealousy after trying and failing to take control of the company in 2018.
The firm says Musk always knew about plans to create a for-profit business.
Musk's lawyer Steven Molo built his closing argument around whether Altman can be trusted, listing witnesses who said Altman was dishonest or misleading.
"Sam Altman's credibility is directly at issue in this case," Molo told the jury. "If you cannot trust him, if you do not believe him, they cannot win. It's that simple."
Defence counters claims
OpenAI's lawyer Sarah Eddy told jurors that Musk's case lacks solid evidence proving he set specific conditions for his money.
She pointed out that even Musk's romantic partner Shivon Zilis could not remember an explicit agreement about his funding terms.
"Even the people who work for him. Even the mother of his children can't back his story," Eddy said, adding that no documents support Musk's version of events.
OpenAI showed evidence claiming Musk knew by 2017 that the company was thinking about a for-profit structure and had tried to control the firm himself.
The defence also argued Musk's claims fall outside the legal time limit for bringing such cases.
The trial included dramatic moments, with Musk accusing Altman of "stealing a charity" while Altman responded that Musk "did try to kill it". Musk was not present during closing arguments, having travelled to China with Donald Trump.
Musk wants Altman and Brockman removed from the company and seeks $134 billion to be moved from OpenAI's for-profit side back to its non-profit organisation.
