Elon Musk sought 90% stake in OpenAI during high-profile trial

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A high-stakes trial began on Tuesday in Oakland, California, involving OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and President Greg Brockman. The trial centers around a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk, who claims that Altman and Brockman “stole” a charity by shifting its purpose from improving humanity to a for-profit venture.

Musk alleged that he invested $38 billion in OpenAI based on the company’s original goal of improving humanity, but instead saw it pivot to a profit-driven model in 2019. On the witness stand, Altman rejected Musk’s claims, stating that “it does not fit with my conception of the words ‘stealing a charity’ to look at what has actually happened here.”

The trial marks a significant moment for OpenAI as the company prepares for a potential initial public offering (IPO) that could value it at $1 trillion. The outcome of the trial could determine the future leadership and direction of OpenAI, including its products such as ChatGPT.

During earlier testimony, Musk portrayed Altman as a liar who could not be trusted with AI development. However, Altman countered by casting doubt on Musk’s leadership, stating that he had demotivated some of OpenAI’s key researchers after leaving the company’s board in 2018 to pursue his own AI development.

The trial has seen both sides present their cases, with Musk seeking $150 billion in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft. The US public has been largely divided on the topic of AI, with a recent poll suggesting that a majority believe it will worsen rather than improve human capabilities.

As the trial continues, lawmakers are considering how to regulate the use of AI, with some proposing a national policy framework to avoid patchwork state regulations.

Source: Al Jazeera