SAN FRANCISCO — The legal feud between OpenAI and Elon Musk escalated further on Wednesday as the artificial intelligence company filed a countersuit against its former co-founder, accusing him of engaging in “bad-faith tactics” aimed at derailing its progress and asserting control over its AI innovations.

In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), OpenAI alleged that Musk’s actions are part of a broader attempt to “slow down OpenAI and seize control of the leading AI innovations for his personal benefit.”

The countersuit directly addresses Musk’s recent behavior, including a takeover bid and two prior lawsuits, framing them as part of a deliberate campaign to undermine the organization’s future. OpenAI’s lawyers wrote in the suit that Musk’s “continued attacks on OpenAI, culminating most recently in the fake takeover bid designed to disrupt OpenAI’s future, must cease.”

“Musk should be enjoined from further unlawful and unfair action, and held responsible for the damage he has already caused,” the filing added.

Musk, who helped co-found OpenAI in 2015, has had a turbulent relationship with the company in recent years. He first sued OpenAI in early 2024, claiming the organization had abandoned its founding mission of developing artificial general intelligence (AGI) for the benefit of humanity, instead shifting its focus toward profit.

That case was widely criticized, with The Verge’s editor-in-chief, Nilay Patel, describing Musk’s legal arguments as “hilariously bad.” Musk later dropped the suit in June, only to file a new one in August.

In response, OpenAI published a blog post in December titled “Elon Musk wanted an OpenAI for-profit,” presenting internal communications and documentation they said showed Musk had supported a for-profit structure for the company’s AGI development in its earlier years.

The feud intensified further when Musk offered to buy OpenAI for $97.4 billion earlier this year. In his proposal, he said it was time for OpenAI “to return to the open-source, safety-focused force for good it once was.” However, OpenAI’s board unanimously rejected the bid, calling it a “sham” in Wednesday’s filing.

The ongoing legal battle is set to culminate in a high-profile trial slated for the spring of 2026.