Elon Musk testifies on first day of trial against OpenAI, Sam Altman, and Greg Brockman
Elon Musk took the stand on Tuesday in federal court in Oakland, California, as the first witness in his lawsuit against OpenAI, CEO Sam Altman, and president Greg Brockman. Musk accuses the defendants of betraying OpenAI's original nonprofit mission by converting the company into a for-profit entity, and is seeking damages and structural remedies including removal of Altman and Brockman. OpenAI's attorneys argued Musk's lawsuit is motivated by competitive jealousy, saying he now runs a direct AI competitor through xAI.
28
Divergence score
This event sits in the top 22% of divergence this week. 14 outlets covered it, splitting into 11 framing camps across 4 bias groups.
11 camps
4 bias groups
The spectrum · how 14 outlets placed this story
LeftCenterRight
CNN
AP News
Al Jazeera
Washington Examiner
Axios
Politico
Wall Street Journal
Financial Times
NY Post
Reuters
NPR
PBS NewsHour
Breitbart
Washington Post
Supportive of action
Neutral
Dismissive
Critical
Alarmist
International angle
Widest split · the two outlets furthest apart, and who published first
Furthest apart on this story
CNN
Elon Musk testifies in a case that could change the path of AI
AI existential stakes framing
NY Post
Musk kicks off explosive OpenAI trial by slamming Altman, company for abandoning non-profit mission: 'Not OK to steal a charity'
confrontational drama emphasis
First to report
- Politicofirst
- CNN+25.5 h
- Reuters+26.1 h
- Financial Times+29.4 h
- NPR+30.6 h
- Wall Street Journal+31.1 h
- Axios+31.5 h
- NY Post+34.0 h
- Al Jazeera+34.5 h
- Washington Examiner+37.5 h
- PBS NewsHour+60.7 h
- Breitbart+102.8 h
By each outlet's earliest publish time in this story. Feeds that index slowly can appear later than they printed.
The split, in one line
Most outlets frame this as a corporate dispute over nonprofit mission betrayal, but some foreground Musk's 'kill us all' AI safety rhetoric while others center OpenAI's counter-narrative that Musk is acting out of competitive jealousy.
How each outlet covered it
Broad agreement on what happened
Outlets across the spectrum land in roughly the same place: the shared language is highlighted.
28LOW DIVERGENCE
DOWN THE MIDDLE
“Elon gets his day in trial against Sam Altman and OpenAI” · AP News, Al Jazeera, Axios, Politico, Reuters
+Hide the full sourcingSee how all 14 outlets put it
LEFT3
CNNCNN Elon Musk testifies in a case that could change the path of AI 136d ago NPRNPR As trial against OpenAI begins, Elon Musk seeks Sam Altman's ouster 136d ago WPWashington Post Elon Musk went to court. The judge wasn’t amused. 133d ago CENTER5
APAP News Elon Musk takes stand in trial vs. Sam Altman that could reshape AI's future AAxios Elon gets his day in trial against Sam Altman and OpenAI 136d ago PPolitico 'It is existential': Elon Musk and Sam Altman duke it out over OpenAI's founding 137d ago RReuters Elon Musk says OpenAI was his idea, before executives looted it 136d ago PBSPBS NewsHour Elon Musk tells his side of OpenAI's beginnings in trial pitting him against CEO Sam Altman 135d ago RIGHT-CENTER2
WSJWall Street Journal Elon Musk Takes Stand in Trial Against OpenAI 136d ago FTFinancial Times OpenAI's Sam Altman 'stole a charity', Elon Musk claims as trial begins 136d ago RIGHT3
WEWashington Examiner Musk warns against 'Terminator outcome' in OpenAI testimony: 'It could kill us all' 136d ago NYPNY Post Musk kicks off explosive OpenAI trial by slamming Altman, company for abandoning non-profit mission: 'Not OK to steal a charity' 136d ago BBreitbart Judge Prevents Elon Musk's Case Against OpenAI from Turning into a Trial of AI 133d ago 8 tracked claims across 14 outlets
Fact ledger
All8Claimed4Corroborated4
2/14
Claimed
Musk's lawsuit is motivated by jealousy and regret over leaving OpenAI, not a breach of nonprofit mission.
Corroborated
Disputed
7 more tracked claimsSign up free to see the full ledger