Ask Onix
Tense 2017 meeting revealed in court testimony
Greg Brockman, OpenAI's president and co-founder, told a federal jury in Oakland that Elon Musk's demeanor turned hostile during a 2017 discussion about the company's direction, leaving Brockman fearing physical confrontation.
Musk's push for control
Brockman testified that Musk, an early backer of OpenAI since its 2015 inception, sought greater influence over the organization. When Brockman rejected Musk's proposal for expanded authority, Musk's reaction was immediate and aggressive.
"I actually thought he was going to hit me,"
Greg Brockman, OpenAI President
The meeting concluded abruptly, with Musk announcing he would halt financial support for OpenAI, according to Brockman.
Legal battle over OpenAI's structure
The testimony emerged during a high-stakes trial between Musk and OpenAI's leadership, including CEO Sam Altman. The dispute centers on OpenAI's shift from a nonprofit to a for-profit model, a transition Musk opposes.
Brockman stated that Musk was aware of plans to restructure the company, which initially operated as a nonprofit before establishing a for-profit subsidiary to attract investor funding. Last year, OpenAI further consolidated its for-profit operations as its primary focus.
Text messages expose power struggle
OpenAI's legal team presented 2017 text exchanges between Brockman and co-founder Ilya Sutskever, in which Musk allegedly attempted to sway their support with incentives. One message asked, "Will a Model 3 make you be willing to accept massively unfavorable terms?"
Personal ties complicate professional conflict
Brockman revealed that former OpenAI board member Shivon Zilis, mother of four of Musk's children, had informed him of her twins' birth but omitted Musk's paternity. He learned the truth later from media reports.
"She said that it was via IVF and that it was entirely platonic with Elon."
Greg Brockman
Despite Musk's departure from OpenAI, Zilis remained on the board until March 2023, when she stepped down as Musk launched xAI, a direct competitor to OpenAI's ChatGPT. Brockman noted that the board trusted Zilis to manage conflicts related to Musk.
Broader implications of the feud
The trial underscores the escalating rivalry between Musk and OpenAI, which has grown into one of the most valuable AI firms globally following the success of ChatGPT. Musk, who left OpenAI in 2018, has publicly criticized the company's shift toward profit-driven models.
