How Elon Musk Squeezed OpenAI: They ‘Are Gonna Want to Kill Me’
On the third day of the Musk v. Altman trial, tensions ran high as Elon Musk was cross-examined by lawyers representing OpenAI. The legal battle centers around Musk’s attempts to influence OpenAI’s direction, particularly during a pivotal moment in 2017 when leadership and control were at stake.
Courtroom Drama and Power Struggles
OpenAI’s legal team confronted Musk with a string of emails showing that he tried to consolidate power within the company. At the heart of the cross-examination was Musk’s push to secure more votes on OpenAI’s board—specifically, demanding the ability to appoint four directors, surpassing his cofounders’ influence. This proposal was rejected, with concerns voiced over Musk wielding too much control.
Complicating matters, Musk had also stopped a series of pledged payments to OpenAI, which significantly strained the organization’s finances given he was its main donor. In one notable exchange, Musk approved a request not to continue the funding, according to emails introduced as evidence.
Recruitment Tactics and Legal Arguments
As the power struggle played out, Musk actively sought to bring key OpenAI researchers to his other companies, including Tesla and Neuralink. Emails and messages presented in court revealed Musk discussing the recruitment of talent like Andrej Karpathy, who later joined Tesla. Musk justified these moves by claiming he could not legally restrict employees from seeking opportunities elsewhere.
Further communications showed Musk telling Neuralink’s leadership to freely recruit from OpenAI. He also discussed plans to attract several more staff from the AI research company to Tesla, though he assured a board member he wouldn’t overtly poach too many people at once. These actions further intensified the conflict over OpenAI’s leadership and future.
What’s Next in the Trial
The court proceedings are set to continue with more cross-examination of Musk and testimony from key figures including OpenAI president Greg Brockman and Musk’s family office head Jared Birchall. The trial will also explore the role of Shivon Zilis, an OpenAI board member and Neuralink executive, in the unfolding saga.
Read the original article by Maxwell Zeff and Paresh Dave at WIRED for more in-depth coverage of the Musk v. Altman trial and its implications for OpenAI’s future.
