The Global Story What Elon Musk did next
May 7, 2026
Lily Jamali, BBC North America tech correspondent covering major trials and developments, breaks down Elon Musk’s latest moves. She walks through his lawsuit against Sam Altman and the courtroom theatrics. She explains Starlink’s role in war zones, the million-satellite plan with orbital AI data centres, and how Musk’s control of connectivity compares to state power.
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Musk's Lawsuit Aims To Rewind OpenAI's For-Profit Shift
- Elon Musk sued OpenAI claiming its shift from nonprofit to for-profit violated their founding agreement and enriched executives.
- Lily Jamali explains Musk seeks $150 billion for the nonprofit, removal of Sam Altman, and unwinding for-profit structures.
Courtroom Drama Reveals Musk's Changing Image
- Lily Jamali describes the packed Oakland courtroom and notable attendees like agent Ari Emanuel during Musk's trial testimony.
- She recounts Musk appearing in a suit and admitting he used OpenAI models to train XAI's Grok chatbot.
Starlink Already Powers Critical Global Connectivity
- Starlink is SpaceX's satellite internet network with over 10 million users across 150 countries and roughly 10,000 low Earth orbit satellites.
- Lily says Starlink is often used in rural, disaster and conflict zones, making it globally influential.