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On the brink of a significant legal showdown, Elon Musk urged OpenAI’s leadership to negotiate a settlement, cautioning cofounder Greg Brockman that he and Sam Altman were poised to become “the most hated men in America,” according to recent court documents.
Musk, who has accused OpenAI of straying from its non-profit goals in a high-stakes lawsuit, reached out to Brockman just two days before the trial’s commencement to explore the possibility of a settlement, OpenAI’s legal representatives disclosed in the filing.
When Brockman suggested that both parties abandon their claims, Musk retorted, “By the end of this week, you and Sam will be the most hated men in America. If you insist, so it will be,” as per the court document.
OpenAI’s legal team contends that these messages bolster their argument that Musk, through his venture xAI, is attempting to hinder a competitor rather than pursuing a genuine complaint.
The company asserts that Musk’s texts, along with “similar threatening statements” made during the litigation, should be considered in court. They indicated that Brockman might be questioned on these exchanges during his testimony.
“It tends to prove motive and bias, and, in particular, that Mr. Musk’s motivation in pursuing this lawsuit is to attack a competitor and its principals,” the filing said.
Representatives for Musk and OpenAI did not immediately return requests for comment.
Musk was the first witness called after the bombshell trial began last Tuesday and testified for three days in California federal court. The Tesla and SpaceX boss told jurors that he was a “fool” to trust Altman with the future of OpenAI and repeatedly said variations of the phrase. “you just can’t steal from a charity.”
By last Thursday, Musk’s fixation with the phrase had drawn a stern rebuke from US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who struck it from the record while telling the billionaire he is “not a lawyer” and should instead “respond to the specific questions.”
Musk cofounded OpenAI alongside Brockman and Altman in 2015. By 2018, he had quit its board of directors due to disagreements over the company’s direction. Musk alleges that the $38 million he donated to OpenAI during his involvement was misused.
OpenAI has described Musk’s allegations as “baseless.”