OpenAI Countersues Elon Musk Over Alleged Harassment and Disruption
OpenAI has filed a countersuit against Elon Musk, accusing the Tesla and xAI CEO of persistent harassment and attempting to disrupt the company’s strategic direction. The legal filing, submitted on Wednesday, aims to block Musk from continuing what OpenAI describes as “unlawful and unfair actions,” amid an ongoing dispute about the organization’s transition to a for-profit model.
Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but left before its rise to prominence, recently launched his own artificial intelligence company, xAI. The rift between Musk and OpenAI has deepened as he challenges the company’s push toward a profit-driven structure — a shift that OpenAI says is essential to meet its $40 billion funding target by the end of the year.
In the legal document submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, OpenAI alleges that Musk has engaged in coordinated efforts to damage the company. These include public attacks, social media campaigns targeting OpenAI through Musk’s large online following, demands for internal records, and a failed attempt to acquire OpenAI’s assets under false pretenses.
“Through press smears, misleading narratives, baseless legal actions, and a sham acquisition bid, Musk has consistently sought to undermine OpenAI,” the company stated. OpenAI also requested that the court restrain Musk from further interference and hold him accountable for the harm allegedly caused.
The countersuit is a response to Musk’s own lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, in which he claims the company has veered away from its original nonprofit mission of advancing AI for the benefit of humanity.
Musk’s legal team referenced a $97.4 billion takeover offer from a Musk-led group earlier this year, which OpenAI declined. According to attorney Marc Toberoff, the board’s refusal to consider the bid properly indicates a lack of transparency. “If OpenAI had genuinely evaluated the offer, they would have realized its legitimacy,” he said in a statement.
Responding to the escalating legal tensions, OpenAI posted on X (formerly Twitter), the platform owned by Musk: “Elon’s constant attacks are just bad-faith moves meant to stall our progress and gain control over cutting-edge AI for his personal agenda.”
Musk’s AI firm xAI, which recently acquired the X platform in a $33 billion deal, now enables shared value between the social media platform and his AI interests.
While Musk has yet to comment on the countersuit, OpenAI continues to assert that the shift to a profit-generating model is essential for competing in the global AI race. Altman has denied Musk’s accusations, suggesting instead that Musk’s actions are motivated by competition.
The trial between Musk and OpenAI is set to begin with a jury next spring.
