Trial Date Announced for Legal Battle: Musk vs. Altman

A trial has been scheduled in the legal dispute between Elon Musk and Sam Altman, promising to be a lengthy court battle.

On Tuesday, Chief Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of the Oakland federal court set the jury selection to commence on April 27, followed by four weeks dedicated to the trial itself, anticipated to conclude by May 22.

This development marks the newest chapter in the ongoing saga between these two tech industry giants. The conflict began last year when Musk took legal action against Altman, following OpenAI’s strategic partnership with Microsoft and its pivot towards a commercial approach. Musk, who co-founded and financially backed OpenAI with $38 million, argues that he did so expecting the organization to remain committed to its nonprofit, altruistic mission.

In response, OpenAI has asserted that Musk was aware of the shift towards a profit-driven model as early as 2018. They maintain that their foundation's nonprofit status continues to be a vital aspect of their organizational framework. OpenAI has dismissed Musk's lawsuit as unfounded and suggested it is part of a systematic campaign of harassment.

Judge Gonzalez Rogers recently overruled attempts by Altman’s defense to halt the proceedings, acknowledging sufficient evidence to advance to a jury examination.

During a hearing on January 7, the judge commented, 'There is ample evidence to proceed, even if circumstantial, as such cases typically are.'

A multitude of case documents were made public last week, including a 2023 text exchange which exposes prior strains in Musk and Altman's interactions ahead of the lawsuit.

In a candid message, Altman conveyed to Musk, 'OpenAI couldn’t have thrived without your contribution—it’s truly painful to see you publicly criticize us.'

Musk replied, 'I understand and apologize, as hurt was not my goal. However, I feel the future of humanity is at stake.'