A pivotal trial that could shape the governance of artificial intelligence begins Tuesday in California, as Elon Musk and Sam Altman face off over OpenAI’s shift to a for-profit model.
Opening statements in Musk’s civil lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman will be heard in federal court after a jury of nine was selected on Monday.
Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, U.S. District Judge, has indicated she expects jurors to begin deliberations on liability by 12 May.
Musk alleges that Altman and OpenAI president Greg Brockman abandoned the company’s founding mission to develop artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity, instead turning it into what he describes as a “wealth machine” for investors.
He is seeking $150 billion in damages from OpenAI and its major backer Microsoft, with any award reportedly directed to OpenAI’s charitable arm. Musk is also asking for the organisation to revert to nonprofit status and for Altman and Brockman to be removed from leadership roles.
Musk, who helped co-found OpenAI in 2015 and reportedly contributed around $38 million in early funding, claims the company shifted towards a for-profit structure in 2019 after he left its board.
OpenAI disputes this, arguing Musk was aware of and supported the transition and only filed suit after failing to become chief executive and launching his own AI company.
The case is expected to feature testimony from Musk, Altman and Satya Nadella, and could provide rare insight into the early internal dynamics of one of the world’s most influential AI companies.
OpenAI argues Musk has attempted to undermine its growth while building his own competing AI venture, xAI, which it says trails OpenAI in usage and scale.
The dispute comes as OpenAI continues to expand rapidly, facing competition from firms including Anthropic and investing heavily in computing infrastructure. Reuters has reported the company could eventually pursue an IPO valuing it at up to $1 trillion.
Originally founded as a nonprofit research lab, OpenAI has since evolved into a hybrid structure involving a public benefit corporation model, with both nonprofit and investor stakes.
The outcome of the trial could influence not only OpenAI’s future structure but also broader expectations around governance, accountability and commercialisation in the fast-growing AI sector.
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Iran said on Sunday (10 May) that it had sent its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at launching peace talks to end the war, as signs of tentative movement emerged around the Strait of Hormuz despite renewed security incidents across the Gulf.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has cited Azerbaijan as an example of what he described as a sovereign foreign policy, recalling remarks made by President Ilham Aliyev during talks in Yerevan, where he sharply criticised resolutions adopted against his country by the European Parliament.
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
Centre-right leader Péter Magyar was sworn in as Hungary’s prime minister on Saturday, propelled into office on promises of change after years of economic stagnation and strained ties with key allies under his predecessor Viktor Orbán.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
British paratroopers and military medics have been deployed to Tristan da Cunha after a suspected hantavirus case was confirmed, as first evacuation flights carrying passengers from the stricken MV Hondius cruise ship left Tenerife for Madrid and Paris.
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
Indonesian rescue teams have located two Singaporeans who went missing after Mount Dukono erupted on Friday (8 May) on the island of Halmahera, though authorities say it remains unclear whether they are alive.
The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) on Friday (8 May), following an order from President Donald Trump. U.S. officials described as a push for “unprecedented transparency”.
A robotics startup says it has built an AI “brain” that can teach humanoid robots new physical skills in days rather than months, as the race to deploy human-shaped machines in factories and warehouses accelerates.
Apple and Meta have publicly opposed a Canadian bill they say could force technology companies to weaken encryption on devices and online services if it becomes law.
European Union countries and European Parliament lawmakers have agreed on a softened version of the bloc’s landmark artificial intelligence rules, including delayed implementation, in a move critics say reflects growing concessions to major technology firms.
Almaty is hosting GITEX AI Kazakhstan 2026 two-day event, drawing global tech firms and investors as Central Asia gains attention as a fast developing digital market. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the GITEX AI Central Asia & Caucasus exhibition in Almaty on 4 May.
A humanoid robot called Sophia took an unusual place at the heart of a classical concert in Hong Kong on Wednesday (29 April), as she performed alongside a live orchestra for the first time.
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