Musk's Claim against OpenAI May go to Trial In Part, Judge Says
Musk takes legal action against to obstruct OpenAI's conversion to a for-profit structure
Musk cofounded OpenAI with Altman in 2015
OpenAI argues for-profit relocation required for capital
Nonprofit to for-profit conversion rare, expert states
(Adds judge did not decide whether or not to provide the injunction in paragraph 5, OpenAi's attorneys' remark in paragraph 13)
By Anna Tong and Akash Sriram
OAKLAND, Calif., Feb 4 (Reuters) - A federal judge said on Tuesday that parts of Elon Musk's claim against OpenAI to stop its conversion to a for-profit entity might go to trial, including that the Tesla CEO will need to appear in court and affirm.
"Something is going to trial in this case," U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California, said early in the court session.
"(Elon Musk will) rest on the stand, present it to a jury, and a jury will decide who is right." Rogers was considering Musk's current ask for a preliminary injunction to obstruct OpenAI's conversion before going to trial, the most recent move in an animosity match between the world's richest individual and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman that is playing out openly in court.
Rogers did not decide whether to issue the injunction Tuesday, but at one point recommended that Musk's legal team had not provided sufficient evidence for her to provide the injunction, and indicated she may hold an evidentiary hearing, where both sides might provide witnesses and proof. The last time Rogers supplied an initial injunction remained in Epic Games' case against Apple in May 2021.
Musk cofounded OpenAI with Altman in 2015, but left before the business removed and subsequently established the contending AI startup xAI in 2023.
Musk takes legal action against to obstruct OpenAI's conversion to a for-profit structure
Musk cofounded OpenAI with Altman in 2015
OpenAI argues for-profit relocation required for capital
Nonprofit to for-profit conversion rare, expert states
(Adds judge did not decide whether or not to provide the injunction in paragraph 5, OpenAi's attorneys' remark in paragraph 13)
By Anna Tong and Akash Sriram
OAKLAND, Calif., Feb 4 (Reuters) - A federal judge said on Tuesday that parts of Elon Musk's claim against OpenAI to stop its conversion to a for-profit entity might go to trial, including that the Tesla CEO will need to appear in court and affirm.
"Something is going to trial in this case," U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California, said early in the court session.
"(Elon Musk will) rest on the stand, present it to a jury, and a jury will decide who is right." Rogers was considering Musk's current ask for a preliminary injunction to obstruct OpenAI's conversion before going to trial, the most recent move in an animosity match between the world's richest individual and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman that is playing out openly in court.
Rogers did not decide whether to issue the injunction Tuesday, but at one point recommended that Musk's legal team had not provided sufficient evidence for her to provide the injunction, and indicated she may hold an evidentiary hearing, where both sides might provide witnesses and proof. The last time Rogers supplied an initial injunction remained in Epic Games' case against Apple in May 2021.
Musk cofounded OpenAI with Altman in 2015, but left before the business removed and subsequently established the contending AI startup xAI in 2023.