A California jury unanimously rejected Elon Musk's $150 billion lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman on May 18, 2026, after less than two hours of deliberation following a three-week trial in Oakland. The jury found Musk's claims of breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment were filed outside the three-year statute of limitations. Musk, who helped start OpenAI in 2015 and donated roughly $38 million, sued in 2024 alleging Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman abandoned the nonprofit's charitable mission for personal profit after restructuring enabled growth of a for-profit arm. OpenAI recently raised $122 billion at an $850 billion valuation, while Musk's competing xAI merged with SpaceX at a $1.25 trillion valuation in February 2026.
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