Elon Musk is seeking up to $134 billion in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft, arguing that the companies benefited unfairly from his early support, according to a court filing on Friday.
Musk said OpenAI gained between $65.5 billion and $109.4 billion from his contributions as a co-founder between 2015 and 2018, while Microsoft gained between $13.3 billion and $25.1 billion.
“Without Elon Musk, there’d be no OpenAI,” his lead trial lawyer, Steven Molo, said, adding that Musk provided most of the seed funding, lent credibility to the venture and helped scale the business.
OpenAI dismissed the claim as an “unserious demand,” describing it as part of what it called Musk’s harassment campaign against the company. Microsoft declined to comment.
Musk alleges that OpenAI violated its founding mission by restructuring into a for-profit entity. A judge in Oakland, California, has ruled that the case will proceed to a jury trial expected to begin in April.
Musk’s filing states that he contributed about $38 million—roughly 60% of OpenAI’s early funding—and helped recruit staff and connect founders with key contacts.
OpenAI and Microsoft have asked the court to limit the testimony of Musk’s expert witness, arguing the damages analysis is unreliable and could mislead jurors.
