How a $38M Check Turned Into a $100B Legal Theory

[ed]

At the core of the case is a valuation model that treats Musk like a classic early-stage investor entitled to exponential returns. Wazzan estimates “wrongful gains” of up to $109.4 billion for OpenAI and as much as $25.1 billion for Microsoft, which now owns roughly 27% of the AI company. Musk’s legal team argues this reflects what he would have earned had OpenAI remained aligned with its original mission.

On paper, that implies a 3,500-fold return—an eye-popping number even by Silicon Valley standards. In practice, it highlights how the transformation of OpenAI from a nonprofit lab into a commercial AI powerhouse has created unresolved questions about ownership, promises, and who ultimately benefits from breakthrough technology.

[tradelikepro]

3500x return sounds insane even by silicon valley fantasy math standards