Sam Altman has rejected claims by Elon Musk that he betrayed the founding mission of OpenAI, arguing instead that Musk was interested in taking control of the company and profiting from it.
The remarks were made on Tuesday during an ongoing federal court trial in Oakland involving Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI and several of its executives.
In the lawsuit filed in August 2024, Musk accused Altman and OpenAI President Greg Brockman of convincing him to contribute $38m to the organisation before allegedly abandoning its nonprofit mission in favour of becoming a profit-driven corporation.
The trial, now in its third week, could significantly influence the future structure and leadership of OpenAI as the company reportedly prepares for a possible initial public offering that may value it at about $1tn.
Under questioning from his lawyer, Altman denied allegations that he and Brockman attempted to “steal a charity.”
“It feels difficult to even wrap my head around that framing,” Altman told the court, adding that he hoped “as OpenAI continues to do well, the nonprofit will do even better.”
Lawyers representing Musk have attempted to portray Altman as dishonest regarding OpenAI’s transition toward a for-profit structure.
Earlier in the trial, Musk testified that having “someone who is not trustworthy in charge of AI” posed a major risk to the world.
The case has evolved into a high-profile clash among major technology figures, with Musk presenting himself as a defender against the dangers of artificial intelligence and excessive corporate influence in Silicon Valley.
Musk, who is seeking approximately $150bn in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft, wants the funds paid to OpenAI’s nonprofit arm.
He is also seeking the removal of Altman and Brockman from their leadership positions.
OpenAI was co-founded in 2015 by several entrepreneurs, including Musk and Altman.
The company has maintained that Musk was aware of the plan to establish a for-profit entity before he left OpenAI’s board in 2018.
According to OpenAI, Musk’s lawsuit stems partly from regret over missing out on the company’s commercial success.
OpenAI officially created a for-profit entity in March 2019.
When asked whether Musk opposed the transition, Altman responded, “Quite the opposite.”
Altman testified that Musk once demanded a 90 per cent stake in OpenAI, adding that he became “extremely uncomfortable” with the idea of handing over majority control.
He also referenced Musk’s management style at SpaceX, saying he had witnessed how founders of successful companies often consolidated power to maintain permanent control.
Altman further revealed that while OpenAI leaders initially wanted to maintain a positive relationship with Musk, he opposed proposals for a merger between OpenAI and Tesla.
“I don’t think we would have had the ability to ensure that our mission was acted on,” Altman said.
“Fundamentally, Tesla needs to serve its customers and sell cars.”
During a tense cross-examination, Musk’s lawyer, Steven Molo, challenged Altman’s credibility and honesty regarding OpenAI’s strategic direction.
