OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testified today in the landmark trial brought by Elon Musk, who alleges Altman and President Greg Brockman betrayed the company's non-profit mission to serve humanity by turning it into a profit-driven enterprise. Musk is seeking Altman's removal as CEO and up to $180 billion in damages.
Altman denied the claims, stating Musk never opposed OpenAI becoming a for-profit. "Quite the opposite," Altman said, revealing Musk initially wanted 90% equity, claiming he was the "most well-known." Altman said Musk's proposed majority stake made him "uncomfortable," especially after Musk suggested passing the company to his children.
Altman also accused Musk of damaging OpenAI's culture by ranking engineers and scientists, undermining the psychological safety needed for long-term research. He claimed Musk resigned in 2018 after losing faith OpenAI could compete with Google's DeepMind.
Under cross-examination, Altman denied fostering a "toxic culture of lying," asserting he is an "honest and trustworthy businessperson." He attributed his 2023 board ouster to "misunderstandings and a breakdown of trust."
Musk's lawyer also pressed Altman on his $1.6 billion stake in nuclear-energy startup Helion Energy and investments in Reddit, which are under House Oversight Committee investigation for potential conflicts of interest.