The Richest Grudge Match in History
Elon Musk is suing Sam Altman and OpenAI, alleging the company abandoned its nonprofit mission for profit, a move he claims violates its founding agreement and misused his donations. The trial, marked by technical glitches and personal animosity, reveals deep tensions in the AI industry over ethics, power, and control. Both tech leaders have traded public insults, with Musk accusing Altman of betrayal and Altman dismissing Musk's actions as driven by insecurity. The outcome could reshape OpenAI and set precedents for how AI is governed.
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TechnologySam Altman and Elon Musk Sure Dislike Each OtherThe trial between the CEOs makes the AI boom seem sordid and small.By Matteo WongIllustration by The Atlantic. Sources: Krisztian Bocsi / Bloomberg / Getty; Anna Moneymaker / Getty; U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York.April 28, 2026, 7:13 PM ET ShareSave Elon Musk and Sam Altman are two of the most influential people in Silicon Valley, if not the world. Between the two of them, Musk and Altman run technology companies worth many trillions of dollars that promise to reshape civilization. But this morning, both sat under fluorescent lights in a courthouse in downtown Oakland, suffering through all manner of technical glitches as their respective attorneys kicked off the long-awaited trial in Musk v.
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