Elon Musk and OpenAI agreed to fast-track their legal battle over the AI company's for-profit shift. The rivals will face off in court this autumn, according to Friday's federal court filing.
A judge recently denied Musk's request to halt OpenAI's nonprofit-to-profit transition but green-lit an expedited trial. The decision marks another chapter in the increasingly bitter feud between the world's richest person and his former partner, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Musk co-founded OpenAI with Altman in 2015 before departing to launch competing AI startup xAI in 2023. He claims OpenAI betrayed its original mission of developing AI for humanity's benefit, not corporate gain. OpenAI counters that Musk wanted to merge the company into Tesla but left when he couldn't take control.
The stakes couldn't be higher. OpenAI's recent $6.6 billion funding round and potential $40 billion SoftBank investment hinge on restructuring away from nonprofit control. Meanwhile, Altman recently dismissed Musk's unsolicited $97.4 billion takeover attempt with a terse "no thank you."
"We welcome the court's decision rejecting Elon's attempt to slow down OpenAI for his personal benefit," the company stated bluntly in a Friday blog post.
Why this matters:
- The outcome could reshape the AI industry's competitive landscape and determine whether OpenAI's nonprofit mission survives alongside its commercial ambitions
- Behind the legal jargon lies a simple truth: this case will decide whether AI's future belongs to profit-driven companies or mission-driven organizations balancing both imperatives
Read on, my dear:
- Announcement OpenAI: The court rejects Elon’s latest attempt to slow OpenAI down
