Sam Altman says Elon Musk wanted 90 percent of OpenAI in high-stakes trial
Al Jazeera • • general
Key Points:
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman denied Elon Musk’s claims in a U.S. court that he betrayed OpenAI’s original charitable mission by shifting it to a for-profit model, stating Musk knew about the plans when he invested.
- Musk has sued Altman and OpenAI president Greg Brockman for $150 billion, accusing them of “stealing a charity” after Musk invested $38 billion under the premise of improving humanity.
- Altman portrayed Musk as a competitor seeking control of OpenAI, alleging Musk initially demanded a 90% equity stake and later left the board in 2018 to pursue his own AI projects.
- The trial’s outcome could impact OpenAI’s leadership and future, including products like ChatGPT, amid OpenAI’s preparations for a potential $1 trillion valuation IPO.
- Public opinion remains wary of AI’s impact, with a 2026 Pew poll showing most Americans fear AI will harm creativity and decision-making, while the AI industry gains significant political influence ahead of U.S. midterm elections.