Elon Musk Files Claim Seeking Up To USD 134 Billion From OpenAI & Microsoft

Elon Musk has asked a court to award damages ranging from USD 79 billion to USD 134 billion from OpenAI Inc. and Microsoft, according to a filing submitted on Friday. The request follows a federal judge’s decision to allow the case to proceed to a jury trial scheduled for late April in Oakland, California.

Musk alleges that OpenAI defrauded him by abandoning its nonprofit mission and forming a partnership with Microsoft. The filing cites calculations by financial economist C. Paul Wazzan, who said Musk is entitled to a share of OpenAI’s reported USD 500 billion valuation after contributing USD 38 million in seed funding when the company was founded in 2015. Musk left OpenAI’s Board in 2018 and launched his own artificial intelligence company in 2023 before filing suit in 2024.

OpenAI and Microsoft have denied the claims. OpenAI said the lawsuit lacks merit, while Microsoft declined to comment. Musk also plans to seek punitive damages.