A federal jury in Oakland has unanimously rejected Elon Musk’s massive lawsuit against OpenAI, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, and Microsoft, dealing a major blow to the billionaire’s attempt to challenge the company’s transformation into a for-profit powerhouse.

The jury ruled that Musk waited too long to file the case, finding that the claims fell outside the legal time limit under the statute of limitations. Deliberations reportedly lasted less than two hours before jurors reached a unanimous decision.

Musk had accused OpenAI leaders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman of abandoning the organization’s original nonprofit mission and turning it into a profit-driven company. His lawsuit claimed they had effectively “stolen a charity” by restructuring OpenAI and building a commercial empire around artificial intelligence.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO sought damages and financial recovery totaling as much as $134 billion, while also attempting to remove Altman and Brockman from leadership roles and reverse OpenAI’s 2025 corporate restructuring.

However, jurors concluded that any alleged harm or misconduct happened long before Musk filed the lawsuit, making the case legally invalid due to timing.

Despite the loss, Musk’s legal team stated that he is preserving the right to appeal the verdict.

The decision comes as OpenAI continues to dominate the AI industry. Reports indicate the company’s for-profit arm is now valued at more than $850 billion, making it one of the most valuable technology organizations in the world.

The ruling marks another major chapter in the escalating rivalry between Elon Musk and OpenAI — a company Musk once helped found before later becoming one of its biggest critics.