By Daniel Howley
Publication Date: 2026-05-11 19:53:00
Microsoft (MSFT) CEO Satya Nadella took the stand in US District Court in Oakland, Calif., on Monday as part of Elon Musk’s ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI (OPAI.PVT).
Nadella testified about his relationship with Musk, Microsoft’s work with OpenAI, and questions about how the companies’ tie-up has benefited Microsoft.
The CEO also responded to questions about OpenAI’s brief ouster of CEO Sam Altman in November 2023.
Microsoft has been one of OpenAI’s largest backers, investing billions of dollars in the company in exchange for using its technology across Microsoft’s products.
During his testimony, Nadella said that, despite asking for a reason for OpenAI’s firing of Altman, he was never given a full explanation for the move. The CEO also said he wasn’t made aware of the decision to terminate Altman in advance, but was instead pulled out of a meeting and informed of the move.