Elon Musk seeks removal of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman — Report

The ongoing dispute between Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has intensified. In his new court filings, Elon Musk has urged for the removal of Sam Altman and OpenAI President Greg Brockman from their respective roles. In 2024, Musk filed a lawsuit against Altman and OpenAI, alleging he had been misled into contributing millions under the assurance that the organization would remain a nonprofit.

In fresh court filings on April 7, the lawyers of Elon Musk said that their client is seeking the removal of both the CEO and President of OpenAI. As per the news source, the case could go to trial later this month. The request for removal would come into effect if a judge or jury determines that Sam Altman and the company engaged in fraudulent conduct against Musk.

Musk’s lawyers said, “Plaintiff will seek an order removing Altman as a director from the OpenAI nonprofit board and removing both Altman and Brockman as officers of the OpenAI for-profit. Removal of a charity’s officers and directors is a common remedy where those individuals fail to protect or carry out the charity’s public mission.”

According to Musk, a decade ago he donated $38 million to help establish OpenAI. In the latest filing, Musk has urged the court to restore OpenAI to its original nonprofit structure. Having completed a restructuring last October, the company currently has only a 26% stake in the for-profit arm. The profitable arm also includes ChatGPT.

According to reports, the jury selection will begin on April 27 in a federal court in Oakland, California. OpenAI in an X (formerly Twitter) post replied to the new filing and said that Musk is “pretending to change his tune about attacking the nonprofit OpenAI Foundation.”

They further wrote, “The truth is that this case has always been about Elon generating more power and more money for what he wants. His lawsuit remains nothing more than a harassment campaign that’s driven by ego, jealousy and a desire to slow down a competitor.”