The California Attorney General’s office has decided not to join Elon Musk’s high-profile legal battle against OpenAI, stating that the lawsuit doesn’t appear to serve the public interest of the state.
Elon Musk, who co-founded OpenAI, has recently become embroiled in a public feud with current CEO Sam Altman over the organization’s direction. Musk’s lawsuit argues that OpenAI’s plan to shift more control to for-profit stakeholders in exchange for equity undermines its original nonprofit mission.
In a letter dated Monday, the Attorney General’s office said Musk had not sufficiently demonstrated how the lawsuit would benefit Californians. The letter also raised concerns that Musk’s involvement might be more self-serving than philanthropic. This comes on the heels of a $97 billion unsolicited bid led by Musk to take over OpenAI earlier this year.
Musk’s legal team pushed back in a follow-up letter, claiming the Attorney General had misinterpreted Musk’s intentions. According to them, Musk has no interest in acquiring OpenAI if its nonprofit structure remains intact.
His team also noted growing public concern over OpenAI’s planned for-profit transition, pointing to support from former employees, charitable groups, and labor coalitions who have aligned with Musk’s call to pause the shift.
