In the trial over Elon Musk's $150 billion lawsuit against OpenAI, former Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati testified on Wednesday that CEO Sam Altman fostered a culture of chaos and distrust among the company's leadership.
Murati, who briefly served as CEO after Altman was temporarily ousted by the board in November 2023, said in a recorded deposition that Altman would say one thing to one executive and the opposite to another. “My concern was about Sam saying one thing to one person and completely the opposite to another person,” she stated. “He was creating chaos.”
Musk’s lawsuit, filed in 2024, claims OpenAI abandoned its nonprofit mission and improperly transitioned to a for-profit entity, with the goal of hindering a competitor to his own AI startup, xAI, now part of SpaceX. The case could decide the future of OpenAI, the leading developer of advanced AI software used by schools, government agencies, and businesses worldwide.
Murati affirmed that Altman pitted executives against one another and undermined her role as technology chief. However, she also expressed support for his continued leadership, saying she pressed board members to provide a fuller explanation for his ouster. “OpenAI was at catastrophic risk of falling apart,” Murati said. “I was concerned about the company completely blowing up.”
The trial, now in its second week, has revealed conflicts among senior executives and founders-including Musk, who at one point felt like a “fool” for his continued funding-and has unearthed unexpected details such as Musk attempting to settle with OpenAI President Greg Brockman just days before the proceedings began.