A federal judge has rejected Elon Musk's bid to dismiss claims that he engaged in a 'years-long harassment campaign' against OpenAI.

US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that the company's counterclaims are sufficient to proceed as part of the lawsuit Musk filed against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, last year.

Musk, who helped found OpenAI in 2015, sued the AI firm in August 2024, alleging Altman misled him about the company's commitment to AI safety before partnering with Microsoft and pursuing for-profit goals.

OpenAI responded with counterclaims in April, accusing Musk of persistent attacks in the press and on his platform X, demands for corporate records, and a 'sham bid' for the company's assets.

The filing alleged that Musk sought to undermine OpenAI instead of supporting humanity-focused AI, intending to build a rival to take the technological lead.

The feud between Musk and Altman has continued, most recently with Musk threatening to sue Apple over App Store listings for X and his AI chatbot Grok. Altman dismissed the claim, criticising Musk for allegedly manipulating X to benefit his companies and harm competitors.

Despite the ongoing legal battle, OpenAI says it will remain focused on product development instead of engaging in public disputes.