Musk vs Altman Trial: Everything That Happened in Oakland Court Day 2 and 3

Elon Musk’s voice rose in a packed federal courtroom Wednesday, April 29 as OpenAI’s lawyer pressed him on the math that launched a billion-dollar betrayal lawsuit: Musk promised up to $1 billion to the AI nonprofit he co-founded in 2015, but wire transfers show he sent just $38 million before walking away. “Without me, OpenAI wouldn’t exist!” Musk said, his frustration breaking through as William Savitt, the attorney representing Sam Altman and OpenAI, questioned whether the world’s richest man actually delivered on his founding commitment.

The exchange marked the second day of testimony in a trial that could unwind the $852 billion company preparing for one of the largest IPOs in tech history, and revealed a courtroom battle where both sides are fighting over who really “stole” the future of artificial intelligence.

The trial, now in its third day at Oakland’s federal courthouse, has Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers intervening repeatedly to stop Musk and Savitt from talking over each other as nine jurors watch the billionaire founders’ decade-long friendship collapse into accusations of fraud, broken promises, and competing visions for AI safety.

Before Musk took the stand Tuesday April 27, Savitt delivered a sharp opening statement: “We are here because Mr. Musk didn’t get his way at OpenAI. That’s what happened. He quit, saying they would fail for sure. But my clients had the nerve to go on and succeed without him.”