The legal battle between Tesla chief Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is getting more intense by the day. On the third day of the high-profile trial, the tech mogul returned to the witness stand and made a massive statement about his early investment in the San Francisco-based AI giant. According to a CNBC report, Musk said he “was a fool” for giving $38 million to what he claims later turned into an $800 billion company.
“They should not get rich off a nonprofit, that’s not right,” Musk said during his testimony.
The case has become one of the most closely watched courtroom dramas in the tech world right now. Keep on reading to know everything.
Why Musk Is Suing OpenAI
The SpaceX founder sued OpenAI, Sam Altman and company president Greg Brockman two years ago. Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015, alleges the company abandoned its original nonprofit mission and used his contribution for commercial purposes that were never part of the initial plan. He claims the money he invested was meant to help build AI for the benefit of humanity, not to create massive private wealth.
Judge Tells Elon Musk And OpenAI Heads To Keep Dispute Out Of Social Media
Musk Says He Helped Build OpenAI
During testimony on Tuesday and Wednesday, Musk spoke about his early role in launching OpenAI.
He told the jury that his money, time, expertise and resources were foundational in helping the AI giant grow into what it is today.
“I could have started it as a for-profit and I chose not to,” Musk said on Tuesday.
“I chose to make it something for the benefit of all humanity.”
Musk also said he was not completely against the idea of a for-profit arm within OpenAI.
“As long as the tail didn’t wag the dog,” he added.
According to Musk, the issue is that the for-profit side now appears to be taking the “vast majority of the value” away from the nonprofit.
What OpenAI Says
The ChatGPT-maker has repeatedly denied Musk’s claims. As per the CNBC report, William Savitt, OpenAI’s attorney, told the jury that Musk only sued because he “didn’t get his way at OpenAI.” Musk left OpenAI’s board in 2018 after disagreements over the company’s direction, including a failed attempt to merge it with Tesla. Following his exit, OpenAI created a for-profit subsidiary to raise capital more easily and accelerate development. For now, the courtroom battle continues and the tech world is watching closely.
