OAKLAND, United States, May 12, (V7N) – Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said Monday he is “very proud” of his company’s early investment in OpenAI, as he testified in Elon Musk’s high-profile lawsuit against the leaders of the AI company behind ChatGPT.

Musk, an early benefactor of OpenAI’s original nonprofit, alleges that Microsoft knowingly helped OpenAI’s creators betray their philanthropic mission, turning the firm into a commercial powerhouse now valued at over $850 billion. He is seeking to have OpenAI revert to its nonprofit status, which could significantly alter its position in the global AI race against competitors like Anthropic, Google, and China’s Deepseek.

Nadella told the jury in Oakland that Microsoft’s initial $13 billion investment in OpenAI’s nonprofit arm — now holding roughly a quarter of OpenAI Group PBC — helped establish “one of the largest, most well-funded nonprofits in the world.” The stake is now estimated to be worth $135 billion.

Musk’s attorneys countered that Microsoft’s true aim was profit, citing internal documents and Nadella’s 2023 statement: “We have the people, we have the compute, we have the data, we have everything.” The lawsuit also highlights Microsoft’s role in supporting OpenAI co-founders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman after they were temporarily ousted by the board in 2023, including creating a subsidiary to acquire equity stakes of employees who followed them—a move estimated to cost $25 billion.

The trial has revealed tensions among Silicon Valley elites, with testimony from Brockman showing a focus on financial gain and alleging past threats from Musk over control of OpenAI. Musk, meanwhile, continues to compete in AI through his company xAI and recently announced a partnership with Anthropic to leverage SpaceX’s computing resources.

Altman is expected to testify later this week, with the advisory jury likely reaching a verdict by May 18. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will then decide on liability and remedies, potentially affecting OpenAI’s plans for an initial public offering.

This trial has exposed the high-stakes rivalry and financial maneuvering behind the rise of one of the world’s most influential AI companies.

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