Elon Musk Initiates Legal Action Against OpenAI and Sam Altman in Federal Court
Elon Musk has rekindled a legal battle against Sam Altman in a federal court, claiming that the Tesla magnate was swayed into co-establishing OpenAI, according to recently disclosed court documents.
The core of Musk’s contentions revolve around his belief that he was “wooed and misled” by Altman and current OpenAI President Greg Brockman, into co-founding the artificial intelligence organization under the guise of being a non-profit entity.
Upon Musk’s involvement and significant financial investments, the lawsuit asserts that he was later “duped by Altman and his associates” as they, in conjunction with Microsoft, “set up an intricate network of for-profit OpenAI affiliates, engaging in widespread self-serving actions.”
Labeling the alleged actions as “treacherous and deceitful on a grand scale,” Musk’s lawsuit makes bold claims.
The contentions in this new legal action mirror those from a prior lawsuit filed by Musk against OpenAI and Altman in California earlier this year, which the Tesla and SpaceX frontman eventually withdrew.
Musk has been openly vocal about his concerns regarding artificial intelligence in recent years and the potential risks it presents to humanity. In the latest lawsuit, filed in a Northern California district court, Musk contends that he was “manipulated” into co-founding OpenAI by Altman and Brockman, who purportedly pledged to “forge a safer, more transparent path than profit-centered tech behemoths.”
“Altman assured Musk that the non-profit framework ensured impartiality and a dedication to safety and transparency for the greater good, not merely for financial gains. However, as it appears, all of this was merely facade philanthropy—the bait for Altman’s elaborate scheme,” the lawsuit alleges.
Requests for comments have been made to Tesla, OpenAI, and Microsoft.
The lawsuit further implicates Microsoft in the affair.
Stating OpenAI as a non-profit entity without shareholders, the lawsuit hints at Microsoft attempting to gain leverage through other means, such as coaxing OpenAI to utilize and become heavily reliant on Microsoft’s cloud computing infrastructure.
“Despite Musk’s positive regard for Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella, the principles of the corporation and OpenAI, Inc. did not align,” the lawsuit contends.
Microsoft stands as the primary investor in OpenAI, reportedly injecting $13 billion into the company.
“Subsequently and persisting until today, Microsoft systematically extended its influence within OpenAI,” the lawsuit claims.
– Contributions to this report by good’s Jordan Novet.
