In his complaint filed in 2024, Elon Musk accused OpenAI, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman of inducing him to invest $38m before quietly transforming the non-profit organization into a for-profit enterprise backed by Microsoft and other investors. Musk denounced a "theft of a charitable work" and criticized the group for prioritizing profits over artificial intelligence safety. OpenAI countered that Musk was aware of the company's transformation plans prior to his departure from the board in 2018 and that he was acting out of his own financial interests.

The trial highlighted growing tensions surrounding the development of artificial intelligence and the economic stakes tied to the sector. During the hearings, each side attacked the other's credibility, with Musk's lawyers notably seeking to portray Sam Altman as an unreliable executive. OpenAI, which is preparing for a potential IPO that could value the company at a trillion dollars, currently competes with groups such as Anthropic and xAI, the latter now integrated into SpaceX.