Before it had a name, before it had offices, and before it had a product, OpenAI had email chains. Those chains are now entering the public record as the Musk v. Altman trial gets underway in federal court.
Court exhibits introduced so far include email exchanges, photographs, and corporate documents from the organization's earliest days - pre-dating the formal establishment of OpenAI as a nonprofit in December 2015. The documents represent the most detailed public account yet of what Musk, Altman, and the other co-founders actually discussed and agreed to when they first conceived of the project. The Verge is tracking the exhibits as they emerge.
The lawsuit centers on Musk's claim that Altman broke a founding commitment to build artificial general intelligence for humanity's benefit rather than for profit. Musk was a significant early donor and co-founder before departing the board in 2018. OpenAI has disputed his characterization of the original mission. The trial is now the venue where that dispute gets resolved with documentary evidence rather than competing press statements.
For anyone using ChatGPT or building products on OpenAI's APIs, the outcome carries real implications. If Musk prevails on his core claims, OpenAI could face legal constraints on its commercial structure - including its $13 billion partnership with Microsoft and its planned conversion to a for-profit company. A ruling against Musk would remove the legal uncertainty that has shadowed OpenAI's fundraising and corporate strategy since the suit was filed in 2024.