Sam Altman · OpenAI · Elon Musk · Microsoft · California · The Guardian Technology
OpenAI and Altman have rejected all of Musk’s claims, arguing that he is motivated by jealousy after a failed bid
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Altman’s testimony is one of the marquee moments of the three-week long trial, which has featured some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley, including Musk and Microsoft’s CEO.
Key facts
- The OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, took the stand on Tuesday to defend himself and his company against a lawsuit by Elon Musk
- OpenAI and Altman have rejected all of Musk’s claims, arguing that he is motivated by jealousy after a failed bid to take over the AI firm in 2018 and a subsequent departure from its board
- The outcome of the case is hugely important for OpenAI, which is seeking to go public at around a $1tn valuation later this year
- What would you say to the suggestion that OpenAI was Mr Musk’s startup?” OpenAI’s lawyer asked
Summary
The OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, took the stand on Tuesday to defend himself and his company against a lawsuit by Elon Musk. Musk has accused Altman and OpenAI of breaking the AI firm’s founding agreement by restructuring it into a for-profit enterprise, alleging that Altman swindled him into co-founding the company and providing tens of millions in financial backing. OpenAI and Altman have rejected all of Musk’s claims, arguing that he is motivated by jealousy after a failed bid to take over the AI firm in 2018 and a subsequent departure from its board. When Altman took the stand before 9am local time in the Oakland, California federal courthouse, he began by recapping some of his career in tech before addressing some of Musk’s allegations directly.