OpenAI Countersues Elon Musk, Accuses Him of Harassment and Disruption

OpenAI has filed a countersuit against Elon Musk, accusing him of harassment and asking a U.S. federal judge to block any further “unlawful and unfair” actions.

The legal battle centres on the future structure of OpenAI, the company Musk helped found in 2015 but left before it rose to prominence.

Musk launched his own AI startup, xAI, in 2023. Since then, he has opposed OpenAI’s move toward a for-profit model. OpenAI must complete this shift by year-end to secure $40 billion in funding.

In its filing, OpenAI accused Musk of using his massive online following, legal threats, and a rejected takeover bid to harm the company. It described Musk’s actions as part of a broader campaign, including public attacks and “harassing legal claims”.

OpenAI is asking the court to stop Musk’s efforts and hold him accountable for past damage.

A jury trial is scheduled for spring 2026. Musk’s legal team pointed to a $97.4 billion takeover offer from a Musk-led group earlier this year, which OpenAI declined.