Musk Blames OpenAI Lawyer for ‘Trick’ Questions While Defending $38 Million Charity Donation

Musk took the stand for the second day in a London courtroom, facing cross‑examination by OpenAI attorney William Savitt. The billionaire’s tone grew combative as he labeled the lawyer’s queries “not simple” and “designed to trick me.”

The dispute stems from Musk’s 2024 lawsuit against OpenAI co‑founders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, as well as investor Microsoft. Musk claims the company abandoned its original non‑profit mission when it created a for‑profit arm in 2019. He seeks billions in “wrongful gains” to fund OpenAI’s non‑profit side and to force a leadership shake‑up.

During testimony, Musk highlighted his $38 million contribution to OpenAI’s non‑profit entity, emphasizing that the funds were used exactly as intended. He warned, “It’s not okay to steal a charity… If it’s okay to loot a charity, the entire foundation of charitable giving will be destroyed.”

Savitt countered by pointing to Musk’s own for‑profit AI venture, xAI, which launched the chatbot Grok after OpenAI’s success with ChatGPT. He suggested Musk’s lawsuit aims to weaken a key competitor in the AI race.

Musk reiterated that he deliberately chose a non‑profit structure for OpenAI, despite having the capacity to run it as a for‑profit venture. He argued that his early capital was meant to steer the organization toward public benefit, not private profit.

The case, expected to run for several weeks, could set precedents for how charitable contributions intersect with corporate governance in the fast‑moving AI sector. Both sides accuse each other of strategic manipulation: OpenAI says Musk is driven by jealousy, while Musk says the company betrayed its founding principles.

What it means: A ruling could clarify the legal boundaries of charitable donations to tech firms and influence future governance models for AI research. Watch for the upcoming testimonies of Altman and Brockman, which may tip the balance in this high‑stakes battle.