Elon Musk Testifies in OpenAI Suit: Can't Steal a Charity
Elon Musk took the witness stand for nearly three days this week in his ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI. Court proceedings have turned chaotic. Emails, text messages, and Musk's own tweets now appear as evidence. Additional witnesses remain on deck.
Musk charges that OpenAI founder Sam Altman violated the original mission. Musk helped fund OpenAI as a nonprofit dedicated to benefiting humanity. The shift to a for-profit structure amounts to betrayal, Musk argues. He repeated in court: "You can't steal a charity."
OpenAI started in 2015 with Musk among the co-founders, alongside Altman and others. The group aimed to develop artificial general intelligence safely for public good. Musk departed the board in 2018 amid growing tensions over direction and control. OpenAI capped its nonprofit structure in 2019, creating a for-profit arm to attract investments. Musk launched his own AI venture, xAI, in 2023 to compete directly. He filed the lawsuit in early 2024, seeking to block OpenAI's full for-profit transition and enforce the founding agreements.
TechCrunch Equity Podcast Dives into the Case
TechCrunch's Equity podcast, hosted by Kirsten Korosec and Sean O'Kane, dissects the trial's implications. The episode outlines what hangs in the balance as Altman and other witnesses prepare to testify. Listeners get insights into potential outcomes and key moments to monitor.
Kirsten Korosec serves as TechCrunch's transportation editor. She covers electric vehicles, self-driving cars, urban air mobility, and vehicle technology. Her work spans over a decade, including stints at Fortune, The Verge, Bloomberg, MIT Technology Review, and CBS Interactive. Sean O'Kane, a senior reporter on transportation, has tracked Tesla and rival startups for ten years. He reported on electric vehicle sector challenges at Bloomberg News and The Verge.
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