Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is pursuing up to $134 billion from OpenAI and Microsoft, claiming “wrongful gains” from his early involvement in the AI startup. OpenAI, known for developing ChatGPT, was co-founded by Musk in 2015.
According to a court filing submitted on Friday, Musk asserts that OpenAI earned between $65.5 billion and $109.4 billion from his initial contributions. Microsoft, which invested in the company later, allegedly gained between $13.3 billion and $25.1 billion. Musk’s legal action comes ahead of a trial against both companies.
OpenAI dismissed the lawsuit as “baseless” and described it as part of a broader “harassment” campaign by Musk. A Microsoft lawyer also stated that there is no evidence showing the company “aided or abetted” any wrongdoing by OpenAI.
Elon Musk claims that he contributed around $38 million to OpenAI, representing roughly 60% of the company’s early seed funding. He also said he helped recruit staff and bring credibility to the startup during its early days. Musk further alleges that OpenAI has shifted away from its founding mission, especially after transitioning to a for-profit model.
Musk now runs his own AI company, xAI, which developed the chatbot Grok to compete with ChatGPT. His lawsuit includes an evaluation of his contributions by financial economist C. Paul Wazzan. If the jury rules in his favor, Musk could seek punitive damages and additional penalties, though details on potential injunctions remain unclear.
The case highlights ongoing tensions in the rapidly growing AI industry. Experts note that the trial could have significant implications for investment, co-founder rights, and accountability in AI startups.
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As the trial approaches, attention remains on Elon Musk’s claims and how the court will assess his role in OpenAI’s early success and the financial gains of both OpenAI and Microsoft.
