Microsoft expected to receive $92 billion from early investments in OpenAI

New Phase of the Trial: Testimony from Satya Nadella and Microsoft

At this stage of the lawsuit between Elon Musk and OpenAI, the focus has turned to the testimony of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. During the hearings it was revealed that when Microsoft first invested in OpenAI, the company expected a revenue of $92 billion.

Key Facts
What It Looks Like: Initial Investment Amount
By the beginning of 2023, Microsoft had invested no more than $13 million in OpenAI’s capital but remains its largest investor.
Microsoft’s Share Valuation – In October last year its value was about $135 billion; by the end of March this year it rose to $852 billion.

Investment History
• 2019 – $1 million
• 2021 – doubled (≈$2 million)
• 2023 – another $10 billion

Commercial Goal
Nadella emphasized that Microsoft viewed the investments as purely commercial from the outset and offered OpenAI significant discounts on computing power in exchange for future profits.

How This Relates to the Conflict
- Musk’s Allegations
Elon Musk claims that Microsoft’s financing pushed OpenAI away from its charitable mission toward a commercial focus. He believes the $10 billion invested convinced him of this shift.

- Microsoft’s Response
Satya Nadella stated that Musk never contacted him about Microsoft’s investments. He noted that all funding was calculated as a business decision, not charity.

- Competitive Status
After last year’s restructuring, Microsoft acquired roughly 27% of OpenAI shares, placing both companies in direct competition.

Additional Details from the Testimony
1. Revenue from Collaboration (March 2025) – $9.5 billion.

2. Sam Altman’s Resignation – Nadella expressed surprise and concern that he left OpenAI at the end of 2023. He suspected internal disagreements and jealousy as reasons for the resignation but did not demand his return.

3. Potential Board Candidates – Nadella discussed options with Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott.

4. 2022 Correspondence – It covered the roles of the companies regarding OpenAI, and Nadella stressed that he does not want to repeat the old IBM‑Microsoft collaboration model from the 1980s.

What’s Next
Today in court, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will begin giving testimony. He is expected to clarify the company’s position on Microsoft’s investments and the future development of joint projects.