Amid the ongoing legal tussle between Elon Musk and Sam Altman-led OpenAI, a group of former OpenAI employees has stepped forward to support Musk in his fight against the company’s transition to a for-profit model.
What Happened: A group of 12 former OpenAI employees has thrown their support behind Musk in his legal battle against the AI startup‘s shift to a for-profit model, CNBC reported on Friday.
These ex-staffers, who were part of OpenAI from 2018 to 2024, have requested a California district court to allow them to express their concerns about the company’s transformation. The filing was made by Lawrence Lessig, representing the group, to bolster Musk’s case.
In a post on his social media platform X, Musk acknowledged the amicus brief filed by former OpenAI staffers.
The request aims to support Musk’s efforts to prevent OpenAI, which he co-founded in 2015 as a nonprofit, from becoming a for-profit entity. The filing claims that such a change would violate the organization’s mission.
OpenAI has commercialized products like ChatGPT and is overseen by a nonprofit parent. The company has faced challenges in restructuring due to Musk’s opposition, who recently offered $97.4 billion to acquire OpenAI, an offer that was rejected.
OpenAI’s hybrid structure includes a capped-profit limited partnership, with the original nonprofit as the controlling shareholder. The filing argues that the shift to a for-profit model breaches the trust of employees and stakeholders.
The case has seen various developments, including a federal court blocking Musk’s attempt to stop the transition and OpenAI filing a countersuit against Musk earlier this week.
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Why It Matters: The legal battle between Musk and OpenAI has been escalating. In March 2025, Musk opposed OpenAI’s move to a for-profit model, arguing it could impact the control of AI technology.
OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, aims to separate the revenue-generating business from its nonprofit parent to attract investments and provide returns to shareholders.
Earlier, in February 2025, Musk’s $97.4 billion takeover bid was reportedly not received by OpenAI’s board, which Altman described as “another one of his tactics.”
OpenAI, in its countersuit, accused Musk of using harassment tactics to disrupt its growth plans, including his unsolicited bid for control.
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