On Thursday local time, Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI officially entered the closing arguments phase. As the trial approaches its end, both sides' attorneys engaged in fierce verbal exchanges in court, each side refusing to back down over Sam Altman's integrity and Musk's contributions to the company.

Plaintiff: Altman is a 'master of deception'

Elon Musk's lawyer, Steven Molo, launched a fierce attack on Altman's credibility during the closing arguments:

  • Witness accusations: Molo pointed out that five witnesses, including Musk himself, OpenAI's former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, and former board members, have suggested or explicitly stated that Altman was "dishonest" in their testimonies.

  • Key avoidance: The lawyers specifically mentioned that during cross-examination on Tuesday, when asked if he was "completely trustworthy and would not mislead others," Altman did not give a direct affirmative answer, which was seen as an indication of guilt.

  • Accusations of interest: The plaintiff side insisted that the leadership of OpenAI sacrificed the nonprofit's original mission in order to make insiders and investors wealthy, deviating from its mission to benefit humanity.

Defendant: Musk only knows how to 'take AI to court'

OpenAI's legal team then launched a harsh counterattack against Musk:

  • Questioning capability: Lawyer William Savitt sarcastically said that Musk might have the ability to turn ideas into gold in other fields, but in the field of AI, his only demonstrated "success method" has been to take the company to court.

  • "Selective amnesia": Defendant lawyer Sarah Eddy pointed out that it was incredible for Musk to claim he had never seen the 2018 terms list regarding external investment, calling it "burying one's head in the sand."

  • Excessive demands: Musk has demanded 15 billion dollars in compensation (paid to a nonprofit entity) in this case, and also requested the removal of Altman and president Brockman from their positions.

Courtroom and next steps

During the day's trial, Altman and Brockman were present in person, while Musk is currently accompanying the U.S. President on a visit to China and was unable to attend.

This prolonged legal battle not only concerns large compensation, but also touches on core ethics in the development of artificial intelligence: whether a nonprofit organization aimed at benefiting all of humanity can transform into a commercial giant while pursuing technological limits. The judge's final ruling will determine OpenAI's future organizational structure and leadership direction.