Elon Musk is pursuing a staggering $79 billion to $134 billion in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft. He claims the two companies defrauded him by abandoning OpenAI's original nonprofit mission in favor of a partnership that benefits Microsoft. Musk's legal action stems from his belief that this shift not only harmed his interests but also violated the principles on which OpenAI was founded. The legal filing was submitted on January 17, 2026, coinciding with a federal judge's rejection of OpenAI and Microsoft's attempts to avoid a jury trial. The trial is scheduled for late April in Oakland, California. Musk's allegations highlight tensions around the ethical and operational shifts in artificial intelligence development, particularly as major players in the tech industry pivot toward profit-driven models.