Scam Altman Just Entered the Courtroom

Summary

• A lawsuit between Elon Musk and OpenAI leadership begins, bringing attention to how the company changed over time

• The core issue is whether OpenAI stayed true to its original nonprofit mission or shifted toward profit

• Elon Musk publicly called Sam Altman “Scam Altman” turning the legal dispute into a viral meme

Read the full story

The story begins with the launch of OpenAI in 2015. It was set up as a nonprofit with support from Elon Musk and others, with the stated goal of building AI for public benefit rather than profit. Elon helped fund the early stages and was involved in assembling the initial team.

Over time, OpenAI changed its structure. It introduced a for profit arm and began operating more like a traditional company. This shift became a point of tension, especially around how control, ownership, and financial upside were handled. Elon eventually distanced himself from the organization.

In 2023, internal issues became public when members of OpenAI’s board questioned Sam Altman’s leadership. Reports described concerns about communication and transparency, and Altman was briefly removed before returning shortly after. These events are now being brought back into discussion as part of the broader narrative.

Now, the situation has escalated into a lawsuit between Elon Musk and OpenAI leadership. Elon is arguing that the company moved away from its original nonprofit mission, while OpenAI maintains its current structure. On April 27, Elon posted multiple statements accusing Altman and OpenAI leadership of misusing what began as a nonprofit.

In those posts, he repeatedly referred to Sam Altman as “Scam Altman.”