On May 12, 2026, CNN covered the opening beats of Steven Molo’s cross-examination of Sam Altman inside Elon Musk’s civil trial against OpenAI, Greg Brockman, and Microsoft, alleging OpenAI betrayed its charitable charter by layering for-profit structures atop the nonprofit mission.
Headline exchanges CNN highlights
- Trust framing: Musk’s counsel reportedly opened by asking Altman whether he is “completely trustworthy.”
- Competing narratives: CNN contrasts Musk’s portrayal of Altman’s motives with OpenAI’s defense—Altman testified that founders worried about any single steward monopolizing hypothetical artificial general intelligence (AGI).
- November 2023 turmoil: Altman described his shocking removal and swift reinstatement as “an incredible betrayal” while insisting he never tried to mislead directors.
Evidence threads summarized by CNN
Testimony cited by CNN links earlier board skepticism—including remarks attributed to cofounder Ilya Sutskever—to worries about honesty before the temporary ouster vote.
Separately, Altman recounted warnings that Musk allegedly pursued “total control” over a hypothetical for-profit arm and surfaced correspondence where Musk reportedly contemplated handing stewardship to heirs without extensive succession planning. Altman labeled that mindset a “hair-raising moment.”
Relief Musk seeks—and CNN’s IPO caveat
Court filings summarized by CNN indicate Musk wants governance restored to purely nonprofit footing, seeks removal of Altman/Brockman board authority consistent with those filings, and asks courts to steer more than $130 billion back toward nonprofit-linked entities. CNN notes such remedies—if granted—could scramble OpenAI’s anticipated IPO storyline later in 2026.
Primary source: CNN — 'Are you completely trustworthy?': Musk's attorney presses OpenAI CEO in trial (May 12, 2026).