Sam Altman told an Oakland jury Elon Musk repeatedly pressed for control of OpenAI, even proposing ownership pass to his children if he died. Altman described the demands as “hair‑raising,” noting Musk once asked for 90% of equity before scaling back but always insisted on a controlling stake. The testimony comes as Musk’s $100 bn‑plus lawsuit seeks to unwind the lab’s conversion to a for‑profit entity.

OpenAI, now valued at roughly $852 bn, was founded in 2015 as a nonprofit charity by Musk, Altman and other technologists. Musk left the board in 2018 after clashes over the lab’s direction, yet the lawsuit alleges he never consented to the 2019 shift to a capped‑profit model. Altman warned jurors Musk might pursue “vengeance” if the court forces a reversal.

Investors watch the case because overturning the for‑profit structure could trigger a massive re‑valuation of the $852 bn AI powerhouse and unsettle funding pipelines for commercial projects. A court order restoring nonprofit status would also affect the $100 bn‑plus damages claim Musk pursues. With the trial slated for later this year, the dispute already shapes boardroom governance debates across Silicon Valley.