OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took the witness stand Tuesday and Wednesday in a high-stakes trial that could determine the future of the ChatGPT maker. The proceedings, now in their third week, occur as the company seeks to build computing power ahead of a potential trillion-dollar IPO. The civil lawsuit pits two of the tech industry's most powerful men against each other in a dramatic courtroom showdown.
Elon Musk alleges that Altman and OpenAI President Greg Brockman betrayed the firm's founding mission to serve humanity by restructuring the nonprofit into a for-profit corporation. Musk claims he was persuaded to give $38 million to the nonprofit, only for the organization to abandon its charitable mission. Musk is seeking the removal of Altman and Brockman from their roles, the redistribution of $134 billion to the nonprofit, and the undoing of the for-profit conversion.
Altman defended his business record, rejecting claims of deception and painting Musk as a man obsessed with controlling the company. He testified that he was extremely uncomfortable with Musk's insistence on complete control over a proposed for-profit subsidiary in 2017, describing one conversation as particularly hair-raising. However, former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever testified that Altman had displayed a consistent pattern of lying.
The trial has included testimony from several key figures, such as former technology chief Mira Murati and former board member Shivon Zilis. As the case nears its end, observers note that neither tech titan has emerged as a particularly sympathetic figure. The final ruling could lead to seismic changes for OpenAI's leadership and overall structure.