Elon Musk's 7 biggest stumbles on the stand at OpenAI trial
OpenAI lawyer forces Musk to make repeated concessions on the stand.
Elon Musk’s testimony in the OpenAI trial backfired badly. Over three days, Musk made at least seven key missteps on the stand. OpenAI lawyer William Savitt forced him to concede that he left the company after co-founders refused to give him control of a proposed for-profit arm — exactly what OpenAI now argues justifies its own for-profit shift. Musk also lost a bid to keep xAI’s safety record off the table, and admitted he didn’t know what “safety cards” are, even though his own AI firm issues them. The judge had to reprimand Musk for sarcasm and evasiveness.
Savitt systematically used emails, documents, and social media posts to contradict Musk’s testimony, making him appear dishonest and hot-tempered to the jury. Musk even raised his voice at Savitt after testifying that he never loses his temper. Meanwhile, Sam Altman remained stone-faced. The trial could determine whether OpenAI can proceed with its planned IPO in 2026. Musk’s own lies and concessions may have hurt his chances of winning the case or discrediting Altman.
- OpenAI lawyer forced Musk to concede he left after being denied control of a for-profit arm.
- Musk admitted ignorance of xAI's safety cards, calling his AI safety reputation into question.
- Judge reprimanded Musk for sarcasm; he raised his voice after claiming he never loses his temper.
Why It Matters
Musk’s missteps weaken his case to block OpenAI’s IPO, shaping the future of AI competition.