Scam Altman says Elon Musk after OpenAI reminds Musk of court date

Elon Musk has sharpened his attack on OpenAI. In a latest post, he has accused Sam Altman and Greg Brockman of profiting from OpenAI's shift away from non-profit roots.

In Short

• Elon Musk accuses OpenAI leaders of profiting from structural changes
• Lawsuit over OpenAI’s shift enters trial stage this week
• Case may impact AI power balance and nonprofit trust

Elon Musk has intensified his attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. In a recent post on X, Musk called Sam Altman ‘scam altman’, accusing him and OpenAI president and cofounder Greg Brockman—whom Musk referred to as ‘Greg Stockman’—of stealing a charity. Elon Musk and Sam Altman are embroiled in a legal battle related to the birth of ChatGPT maker OpenAI. Musk's post came in response to a post by OpenAI where the company alleged that the lawsuit is baseless and driven by jealousy to derail a competitor. OpenAI said it will make its case in court.

Musk’s civil suit trial against Sam Altman began on Monday, April 27, 2026 in a federal courthouse in Oakland, California. The trial is expected to run through three to four weeks at least.

“We can't wait to make our case in court where both the truth and the law are on our side. This lawsuit has always been a baseless and jealous bid to derail a competitor. We'll also finally have the chance to question Mr. Musk under oath before a jury of Californians about this attempt to undermine our work to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity,” OpenAI Newsroom wrote in an X post.

In his post, Musk used strong language to launch a sharp attack on OpenAI executives. He accused both Sam Altman and Greg Brockman of benefiting financially from OpenAI’s structural changes, when the company transitioned from a pure nonprofit to a for-profit public benefit corporation (PBC).

The post has also drawn fresh attention to the civil lawsuit, where Musk has accused Sam Altman and Greg Brockman of betraying him and turning OpenAI into a profit-driven business. OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit start-up primarily funded by Musk.

In the post, Musk alleged that co-founder Greg got billions of stock allocated for himself and that Altman did multiple side arrangements to secure significant personal gains.

“Scam Altman and Greg Stockman stole a charity. Full stop. Greg got tens of billions of stock for himself and Scam got dozens of OpenAI side deals with a piece of the action for himself, Y Combinator style. After this lawsuit, Scam will also be awarded tens of billions in stock directly,” Elon Musk wrote.

Concerns over broader impact

Musk also raised concerns about the bigger impact of such a move. He said letting a nonprofit turn into a profit-driven company could set a legal example in the US and weaken trust in charities.

“The fundamental question is simply this: Do you want to set legal precedent in the United States that it is ok to loot a charity? If so, you undermine all charitable giving in the United States forever,” Musk wrote.

Musk further said OpenAI was started as a nonprofit to benefit the public. He added that he helped fund it, brought in key talent, and shaped its early direction. He argued that the company has since moved away from those original goals and shifted toward making money instead.

“I could have started OpenAI as a for-profit corporation. Instead, I started it, funded it, recruited critical talent and taught them everything I know about how to make a startup successful FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD.Then they stole the charity,” Musk added.

What the case will examine

Meanwhile, the case will look into OpenAI’s structure, funding, and partnerships, including its ties with Microsoft. The trial’s outcome could influence who holds power in AI, a technology many fear could replace jobs and even pose risks to humanity.

Musk’s demands and OpenAI’s response

Musk said he was kept in the dark while the defendants used his name and money to build a profit-making venture, and he is seeking damages. He also wants OpenAI to return to being a nonprofit and is calling for Altman and Brockman to be removed from leadership roles.

OpenAI has dismissed Musk’s claims as baseless and driven by rivalry, saying he is trying to slow its growth and promote his own company, xAI, which he started in 2023.

- Ends