Elon Musk's lawyers to US judge: Reject OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's request to show chats between Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg

Elon Musk and Sam Altman are fighting again. And this time over chat with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Lawyers for Elon Musk are asking a U.S. judge to prevent OpenAI from obtaining documents from rival tech giant

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, reigniting a legal skirmish that pits the billionaire against the artificial intelligence company he co-founded. The request, outlined in a late Tuesday court filing, is the latest development in a high-stakes lawsuit where Elon Musk is accused of attempting to harm OpenAI through a "sham bid" for its assets.The dispute stems from a claim by OpenAI that Elon Musk, through his lawyers, had approached Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg earlier this year to enlist him in a $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI's assets. According to OpenAI, Zuckerberg declined the offer.

Meta said no to OpenAI's 'chat request'

Following that assertion, OpenAI petitioned the court to compel Meta to release communications and documents related to the alleged bid. Meta's legal team pushed back, arguing that OpenAI should seek the information directly from Musk and his AI startup, xAI.

In their latest filing, Musk's lawyers contend that OpenAI has already received all relevant bid-related documents from them. They described OpenAI's request as an "expansive discovery" that is unnecessary for the current phase of the trial.However, OpenAI's lawyers fired back, asking the judge to reject Musk's claims. They assert that their request is not "sprawling" but rather a targeted effort to obtain specific documents spanning a limited period. They also highlighted the need for depositions—including of Musk himself—if, as plaintiffs claim, key communications were primarily oral.

Elon Musk's $97 billion bid to buy OpenAI

This legal battle began last year when Elon Musk sued OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, over the company's shift to a for-profit model. OpenAI countersued Musk in April, accusing him of attempting to damage the company.In a key ruling earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers determined that Elon Musk must face OpenAI's claims that his public statements, social media posts, and the alleged bid were part of a concerted effort to undermine the AI startup.A jury trial for the case is scheduled for spring 2026.