Musk grilled in OpenAI trial over profits vs nonprofit mission

Elon Musk returned to the California courtroom for a third day of questioning in his case against OpenAI, as the cross-examination stretched into the morning in Oakland. The courtroom has been packed with observers and legal teams as Musk sparred with OpenAI's defense attorney over why his for-profit AI empire should be treated differently from the nonprofit OpenAI Musk once helped launch. The trial sits in a courthouse in Oakland, with U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers overseeing the proceedings and sometimes interjecting to keep questions on track.

During another round of questioning, Musk grew visibly irritated and offered a pointed line: "Few answers are going to be complete, especially when you cut me off all the time," he told opposing counsel as he pressed his case about the boundaries between profit, governance, and mission. OpenAI's counsel countered that the company has evolved, raised funds, and expanded product lines while trying to stay faithful to its original nonprofit oath.

The sessions are part of a broader legal clash about whether OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, betrayed its nonprofit mission by moving toward profit. The jury is selected and the trial is expected to last about four weeks, with both sides presenting witnesses and internal communications as evidence. Analysts have warned that the outcome could influence how AI research is funded and regulated in the private sector, potentially shaping future releases of AI models and governance standards.

As hearings continue, the judge's rulings on evidentiary questions and how to frame the nonprofit-versus-profit issue will guide the pace of the proceedings. For Musk, the question remains whether his for-profit ventures and OpenAI can be reconciled in a way that preserves accountability and public trust.

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