A late-minute text exchange between Elon Musk and OpenAI President Greg Brockman has surfaced, revealing Musk’s attempt to settle the lawsuit just days before trial. The texts, filed in court Sunday, show a contentious exchange with Musk threatening Brockman and CEO Sam Altman with public backlash. The trial centers on Musk’s claim that OpenAI abandoned its nonprofit mission for commercial gain.
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Elon Musk, just two days before his highly anticipated lawsuit against OpenAI was set to begin, reached out to the company's president, Greg Brockman, to explore a potential settlement. The text exchange, revealed in a court filing Sunday, shows Musk warning Brockman and CEO Sam Altman they would become "the most hated men in America" if they didn't agree to drop their claims.
Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, alleges the company abandoned its original nonprofit mission in favor of commercialization. He testified last week, accusing Altman and Brockman of prioritizing profit over the initial charitable goals. Brockman is expected to testify as early as Monday, and OpenAI's legal team intends to use the text message exchange to demonstrate Musk's alleged bias and motivation to attack a competitor.
The lawsuit stems from Musk's $38 million donation to OpenAI, which he claims was intended for a nonprofit endeavor and has been misused for commercial purposes. OpenAI has dismissed Musk's claims as baseless. The trial is ongoing in federal court in Oakland, California, with Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers presiding.
Watch: The Musk vs. OpenAI trial is underway — here’s where things stand
