Ilya Takes the Stand for Revenge! Proves Altman Lied, Holding $7 Billion While Saying "I Don't Want OpenAI Destroyed"

Original Source: Xinzhiyuan

Introduction: Just now, Ilya took the stand! In the Musk v. OpenAI case, he testified under oath: He spent a year gathering evidence of Altman's "systematic lying," which he compiled into a 52-page memo and submitted to the board. Furthermore, he confirmed for the first time that he holds approximately $7 billion worth of OpenAI shares. Altman is expected to testify as early as Tuesday. The drama is about to unfold.

The major lawsuit filed by Elon Musk against OpenAI has finally seen Ilya take the stand!

On May 11, 2026, at the Oakland Federal Court in California.

When the curly-haired, slightly melancholic genius scientist Ilya Sutskever slowly walked to the witness stand, everyone present held their breath.

Wherever he appears, Ilya commands attention – even more so in the trial of Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI.

This time, Ilya is no longer the apologetic figure posting "I deeply regret" on social media, but an avenger returning with a "bombshell."

He not only personally confirmed Altman's compulsive dishonesty but also unveiled to the world the power vacuum beneath OpenAI's glamorous exterior.

This is destined to be the final chapter of an "AI palace intrigue" recorded in history.

This trial could determine OpenAI's future – a company preparing for a trillion-dollar IPO, currently valued at $850 billion.

Altman is expected to take the stand in his own defense as early as Tuesday.

52 Pages of "Lying Evidence": Altman Through That Man's Eyes

"He habitually lies, sows discord among executives, and undermines corporate governance."

When Ilya uttered these words under oath, the current OpenAI management seated at the defense table turned pale.

This was no longer rumor, but courtroom testimony from OpenAI's former Chief Scientist.

This time, Ilya revealed a shocking detail never before disclosed: Prior to the globally stunning "November coup" in 2023, he had been secretly gathering evidence for an entire year.

That evidentiary document was 52 pages long.

This "Complete Collection of Altman's Dirt" meticulously documented Altman's daily political maneuvers.

For instance, his specialty was creating division.

He frequently manufactured conflicts between CTO Mira Murati and other executives, making them suspicious of each other to solidify his own absolute authority.

Furthermore, he was highly skilled in information manipulation.

Ilya testified that Altman created an environment where "executives couldn't get accurate information." In this environment, any serious discussion about AI safety would be downplayed by Altman using false market visions.

This time, Ilya stated bluntly that Altman's behavior was "not conducive to achieving any grand goals," particularly developing safe AGI.

"I spent a year observing and thinking, and ultimately concluded that firing him was the appropriate action."

Ilya's tone was steady, but every word cut deep. He admitted to having detailed discussions with Murati, and both felt a deep-seated unease about Altman's behavior.

The $7 Billion "Betrayer": The Expensive Price of an Idealist

Next came another climax of the trial.

As a co-founder of OpenAI, Ilya has always been seen as a "pure scientist." But when the judge asked about the value of his shares, the number stunned the courtroom: $7 billion.

Just a week prior, OpenAI President Greg Brockman admitted to holding shares worth $30 billion.

And Altman, whom Musk accuses of being "corrupted by greed," is worth approximately $3.5 billion (primarily from his external investments).

A striking irony emerged: these self-proclaimed "non-profit" believers have now all become some of the fastest wealth accumulators in human history.

But Ilya displayed a near-tragic sense of contradiction in court.

He mentioned that to join OpenAI, he had turned down a $6 million annual renewal offer from Google – which at the time seemed like an "astronomical figure" to him.

He explained why, over the weekend of the coup, he suddenly changed course and signed the joint letter demanding Altman's return.

"It was a 'Hail Mary,'" Ilya said in a low voice. "I saw the company about to collapse; Microsoft was poised to swallow us all."

At the time, the situation deteriorated faster than anyone anticipated. A large number of employees indicated they would follow Altman. The company faced disintegration.

Ilya later expressed regret – not for gathering evidence or voting for the removal, but for "participating in the board's actions." He criticized his board colleagues for lacking experience, accepting "poor legal advice," and acting too hastily.

On Monday in court, when he said this, the entire gallery fell silent.

"I have a strong sense of belonging to OpenAI. I feel like I poured my life into it. I just care about it. I didn't want it to be destroyed."

The Panorama of the OpenAI Mafia

Furthermore, this trial inadvertently revealed a full picture of the "OpenAI Mafia."

After leaving OpenAI in May 2024, he founded Safe Superintelligence. By April 2026, this company had raised $3 billion, reaching a valuation of $32 billion.

Dario and Daniela Amodei left to found Anthropic, with rumors of its valuation heading towards a trillion.

Mira Murati founded Thinking Machines Lab, completing a $2 billion seed round last year at a $12 billion valuation, with two-thirds of the team being OpenAI alumni.

Aravind Srinivas founded Perplexity, valued at $20 billion. Liam Fedus founded Periodic Labs, valued at $7 billion.

Intriguingly, while their reasons for leaving varied, almost every single one had ties to Altman's leadership style.

The Almost-Happened Anthropic Merger

Ilya's testimony wasn't just about Altman.

He confirmed something previously only rumored: Following Altman's brief ouster, the remaining OpenAI board members met with Anthropic to discuss a plan for Anthropic to merge with and take over leadership of OpenAI.

Ilya said he was "not keen" on the idea.

The devastating power of this detail lies in the timeline – over that weekend in November 2023, OpenAI almost became part of Anthropic.

Had that merger gone through, the AI landscape today would look entirely different.

Microsoft's Shadow: Nadella's "Power Grab" Ambition

If Ilya exposed the internal rot, then Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who took the stand next, showcased the cold logic of capital.

Nadella described the ouster as an "amateur city," stating he "never received a clear explanation."

But court documents revealed Nadella's own other side.

A 2022 email disclosed in court showed Nadella furiously ranting to a subordinate: "If we put in this much money and have no control, it's completely pointless!"

Pressed by Musk's lawyer, Nadella admitted that when the 2023 coup happened, Microsoft already had a "14-person board takeover list" ready and exercised a de facto "veto power" over OpenAI's new board members.

Even more explosive, Nadella had sent a barrage of text messages to Altman in early 2023, urging him: "Launch the paid subscription version of ChatGPT as soon as possible. The sooner, the better."

Two weeks later, he was following up on subscriber numbers.

This directly substantiated Musk's complaint: OpenAI was no longer a research lab, but rather Microsoft's "IT department" and monetization machine.

And this is precisely the core of Musk's accusation – OpenAI deviated from its non-profit mission.

Musk's Fury: A Dream Exploited for Free?

Sitting in the audience, Musk might have been wearing a complex smile.

The central issue of this trial is: Did Altman, through a false "non-profit" promise, defraud Musk of his early investment and brand endorsement, only to later sell the results to Microsoft?

Although Ilya didn't entirely side with Musk in his testimony (he denied ever promising Musk that OpenAI would never be for-profit), his critique of Altman's character undoubtedly provided the strongest ammunition for Musk's lawsuit.

Ilya mentioned that he had also opposed Musk's proposal to merge OpenAI into Tesla back then, finding Musk too "aggressive."

Musk's core allegation is that Altman and Brockman violated the promise for OpenAI to remain non-profit forever, instead pursuing profits.

Ilya's testimony on this point was actually favorable for OpenAI.

He stated that he "never promised Musk that OpenAI would remain non-profit."

He uttered a line that will likely be frequently cited: "OpenAI's mission is greater than its non-profit or for-profit structure."

Throughout this lawsuit, there are no absolute heroes left. This is more like a dirtiest brawl among geniuses on their path to the altar, fighting over interests, power, and the right to define humanity's future.

The Endgame Approaches: OpenAI or OpenMoney?

The trial continues.

This Tuesday, Altman will take the stand in person.

The current situation is extremely dangerous for OpenAI.

If the judge ultimately rules that OpenAI violated its original non-profit contract, its for-profit entity, valued at $850 billion, could face structural reorganization.

Ilya spent about an hour on the witness stand. According to a Wired reporter's observation, he hardly made eye contact with anyone the entire time.

This man, once the soul of OpenAI, the leader who rallied employees chanting "Feel the AGI" at company parties.

Now, wearing a shirt without a suit jacket, he looked lonely and dejected. He said in court: "I invested my life in OpenAI; I don't want it to be destroyed."

But the reality is, the pure OpenAI he loved so much might have already died the moment the first page of that 52-page evidence was written.

This trial is not judging the success or failure of a single company, but the core contradiction of today's Silicon Valley: When the technology holding the key to God-like power (AGI) collides with extreme human greed, can we still hold onto our last shred of integrity?

Next Thursday, the judge will deliver closing arguments.

And humanity's right to define the future of AI might be quietly rewritten within these few pages of testimony.