A federal judge has cleared the way for a high-stakes jury trial in the escalating legal war between Elon Musk and OpenAI. This ruling marks a significant development in the ongoing dispute over the artificial intelligence company's direction and founding principles.
Musk Shares Alleged Internal Files
Hours after the court decision, Elon Musk took to his social media platform X to reshare posts containing what he claims are personal files of OpenAI President Greg Brockman. The screenshots appear to show unsealed documents dating back to 2017, revealing internal discussions about transitioning to a for-profit model years before the company's public announcement of such changes.
"They openly discuss their conspiracy to commit fraud and steal the charity," Musk stated in his post. He pointed specifically to claims that he was told OpenAI remained committed to its non-profit roots while internal conversations suggested otherwise.
What the Documents Allegedly Reveal
The submitted court documents allegedly show Brockman telling peers, "This is the only chance we have to get out from Elon. Is he the 'glorious leader' that I would pick? We truly have a chance to make this happen."
Financial considerations featured prominently in the discussions. Notes referenced individual targets of $1 billion, allegedly for Brockman himself, while expressing concerns about being "dishonest" with Musk regarding the company's true trajectory.
Another section of the alleged documents shows Brockman stating, "Cannot say that we are committed to the non-profit. Don't want to say that we're committed. If three months later we're doing b-corp then it was a lie."
Meeting Revelations and Moral Concerns
According to the documents, after a November 6, 2017 meeting with both Musk and Brockman, Sam Altman informed Musk that they remained committed to OpenAI's nonprofit structure. However, Brockman reportedly concluded that "another realization from this meeting is that it'd be wrong to steal the non-profit from him. To convert to a b-corp without him would be pretty morally bankrupt."
Days later, under the heading "our plan," Brockman further wrote that "it would be nice to be making the billions" and explained that "we've been thinking that maybe we should flip to a for profit."
OpenAI's Response
OpenAI has already informed its investors about what they describe as "deliberately outlandish" claims that Musk may make during the legal proceedings. The company maintains a firm position against the allegations.
"Elon's lawsuit remains baseless and without merit, and our team is focused on ensuring the jury sees these claims for what they are," OpenAI stated in response to the developments.
The legal battle continues to unfold as both sides prepare for what promises to be a closely watched jury trial. The case raises fundamental questions about corporate governance, ethical commitments, and the future direction of one of the world's most influential artificial intelligence companies.
