Billionaire Elon Musk grilled on AI profits at OpenAI trial

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Elon Musk clashed with lawyers for a third consecutive day on Thursday during his high-stakes California trial against OpenAI, at times struggling to explain how his own for-profit AI ventures differ from the model he is challenging in court.

“Few answers are going to be complete, especially when you cut me off all the time,” the visibly frustrated billionaire said as he resumed questioning by OpenAI’s defence attorney.

Federal Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers repeatedly intervened during proceedings, urging Musk to directly answer questions rather than challenge the line of questioning. At one point, after he objected that questions were “leading,” the judge reminded him of his role in the courtroom.

“I am not a lawyer,” Musk conceded, before adding, “Well, technically I did take Law 101 in school,” drawing laughter from those present.

Musk, who contributed about $38 million to OpenAI between 2015 and 2017, alleges that the organisation’s leadership, including CEO Sam Altman and President Greg Brockman, abandoned its original non-profit mission and turned it into a commercial entity now valued at over $850 billion.

He is asking the court to compel OpenAI to revert to its non-profit structure, a decision that could have significant implications for the future of AI governance and control in the United States.

During cross-examination, OpenAI’s lawyer William Savitt argued that Musk’s own companies, including Tesla, Neuralink, X and his AI firm xAI, operate on a for-profit basis while also claiming to benefit humanity. “There’s nothing wrong with having a for-profit organisation,” Musk replied, reiterating his position: “You just can’t steal a charity.”

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In a moment that drew attention in the courtroom, Musk remarked, “The worst-case situation would be that AI kills us all, I suppose,” referencing a hypothetical scenario often associated with science fiction. The judge had earlier cautioned against such digressions.

“I think it’s ironic that your client, despite these risks, is creating a company that’s in the exact same space,” Judge Rogers told Musk’s legal team.

Musk concluded his third day of testimony on Thursday, though he may be recalled before the trial progresses further. Sam Altman, who attended the session, is expected to testify in the coming weeks, alongside OpenAI president Greg Brockman. A ruling in the case is anticipated by mid-May.