Ilya Sutskever testified in court that he spent roughly a year gathering evidence that Sam Altman displayed a “consistent pattern of lying” before voting to remove him as OpenAI CEO in November 2023.
The testimony came during the third week of the high-profile legal battle between Elon Musk and OpenAI in California federal court. Sutskever confirmed that he had been considering action against Altman for at least a year prior to the board’s decision to temporarily oust him.
According to Sutskever, OpenAI’s board asked him to prepare a document detailing concerns about Altman’s conduct. He testified that the material eventually reached 52 pages and included examples of dishonesty as well as behavior that allegedly involved “undermining and pitting executives against one another.”
Sutskever said he had discussed the possibility of removing Altman with former OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati after the two spoke extensively about Altman’s leadership style and internal management.
“His conduct was not conducive to any grand goal,” Sutskever said in court, referring specifically to OpenAI’s mission around safe artificial general intelligence.
Sutskever played a central role in Altman’s brief removal from OpenAI in 2023 while serving on the board. However, he later reversed course and supported Altman’s reinstatement after concerns emerged that the company could fracture or collapse during the leadership crisis.
The testimony also revealed new details about OpenAI’s internal turmoil during that period. Sutskever confirmed that remaining board members discussed a potential merger with rival AI company Anthropic after Altman’s removal. Under the proposal, Anthropic leadership would reportedly have taken control of OpenAI. Sutskever said he was “not excited” about the idea.
He additionally disclosed that his personal stake in OpenAI was valued at approximately $5 billion in November 2025 and around $7 billion currently.
Trial Exposes Internal OpenAI Power Struggles
The testimony provides the clearest public account so far of the internal breakdown that led to Altman’s temporary firing and rapid reinstatement. While the board initially cited communication concerns at the time, Sutskever’s statements suggest the conflict involved longer-running disputes over management style, executive relationships, and governance.
The case has also exposed tensions between OpenAI’s nonprofit governance structure and the enormous commercial value generated by its AI business. OpenAI has raised tens of billions of dollars in investment while simultaneously operating under a nonprofit-controlled structure originally designed to prioritize AI safety and public benefit.
Musk, who co-founded OpenAI before leaving in 2018, argues the company abandoned those principles as it evolved into a highly commercial AI organization closely aligned with Microsoft.
OpenAI Leadership And Governance Face Renewed Scrutiny
The trial has become one of the most consequential legal disputes in the AI industry because it could reshape OpenAI’s governance, ownership structure, and leadership.
Musk is seeking $150 billion in damages to be directed to OpenAI’s nonprofit entity and has asked the court to remove Altman and OpenAI president Greg Brockman from leadership roles.
Earlier in the proceedings, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella described Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI as a “calculated risk,” emphasizing that the partnership delivered major strategic and marketing advantages.
Sutskever, who left OpenAI in 2024 and later founded Safe Superintelligence, is expected to remain a key figure in the case as the court examines whether OpenAI’s transformation into a commercial AI powerhouse violated commitments made during its founding.