Musk v. OpenAI Leaves Both Sides Bruised: California Brief

Week 2 Leaves Musk and OpenAI Bruised

Illustration: Michelle Rohn for Bloomberg Businessweek

As the Musk v. OpenAI trial wraps its second week in federal court in Oakland, the dispute is increasingly serving as a public test of the AI industry’s credibility, Max Chafkin writes. The case turns on Elon Musk’s claim that Sam Altman and Greg Brockman took OpenAI away from its original nonprofit mission, but the proceedings so far have underscored a broader point: Both sides appear to be surrendering the “moral high ground” that once distinguished the company.

Musk has portrayed himself as an altruist who was duped, while seeking ...