“Consistent Pattern of Lying”: Former OpenAI Scientist Adds New Pressure in Musk’s OpenAI Trial

OpenAI, the AI company behind ChatGPT, is back in the spotlight after former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever gave fresh testimony in the legal fight among the company, Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) and Elon Musk.

According to Reuters, Sutskever testified that he spent about a year gathering proof for OpenAI’s board that CEO Sam Altman had shown a “consistent pattern of lying.” He also said Altman’s conduct included “undermining and pitting executives against one another.”

The comments add new detail to the board fight that led to Altman’s brief ouster in November 2023. Sutskever was a board member at the time and voted to remove Altman. However, he later said he regretted his role in the move and backed Altman’s return, after fears grew that OpenAI could fall apart.

Musk’s Case Puts OpenAI’s Future in Focus

Musk claims OpenAI moved away from its nonprofit roots and became too focused on profit. He is seeking $150 billion in damages to be paid to the nonprofit, along with the removal of Altman and OpenAI President Greg Brockman.

Meanwhile, Sutskever also confirmed that after Altman was fired, OpenAI board members met with Anthropic about a possible merger. Still, Sutskever said he was “not excited” about merging OpenAI with another company.

The case comes at a key time for OpenAI, which has been raising large sums to fund its AI buildout. In court, Sutskever said his own OpenAI stake was worth about $5 billion as of November 2025 and about $7 billion now. That shows how much value is tied to OpenAI’s next phase, as the company weighs growth, control, and its long-term role in AI.

Using TipRanks’ Comparison Tool, we’ve compared notable companies that employ chatbots, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Claude by Anthropic. The comparison tool helps investors gain a broader outlook on each stock and the industry as a whole.