Conflict at OpenAI: 2017 Meeting Between Musk and Brockman

OAKLAND, Calif. — OpenAI President Greg Brockman shared insights from a heated 2017 meeting involving Elon Musk and his co-founder, describing moments when he felt Musk might “physically attack” him.

During his testimony on Tuesday, part of an ongoing trial about OpenAI’s direction, Brockman recounted how Musk and other executives approached him to discuss ownership stakes in the company that would eventually create ChatGPT.

In an interesting twist, Brockman noted that Musk once gave away Teslas to himself and others, believing it was a way for Musk to make his co-founders feel “indebted” to him. In a similar vein, Mr. Sutskever presented Musk with a sketch of a Tesla car, as Brockman recalled.

However, tensions rose when Musk’s request for a majority stake was turned down by OpenAI’s founders. Musk, asserting he needed $80 billion for a Martian city, reacted with evident anger. “Something really changed in him,” Brockman reflected. Musk got up, pacing around the table, and at one point, Brockman feared he would be attacked. Instead, Musk grabbed a painting and left the room in a rush.

Musk then inquired about when they would exit OpenAI, threatening to pull funding until that happened.

Brockman stated that Musk dismissed his proposal to evenly distribute ownership among the founders, emphasizing that no single person should wield control over such a powerful AI. Musk expressed his discomfort with not being in control and reiterated his ambitious vision for Mars.

This intense meeting was just one of many dramatic incidents mentioned by Brockman during the Oakland trial. Earlier, Musk had hosted his team at a “haunted mansion” in San Francisco, where Brockman observed signs of a recent party, including leftover confetti. Musk’s then-girlfriend, Amber Heard, was also present, but declined to join Musk as he socialized with his team.

Amidst the whiskey flowing and discussions about company goals, Brockman noted a sense of celebration among the group. “We had a real prospect of accomplishing the mission,” he remarked.

Musk’s lawsuit accuses Brockman, Altman, and OpenAI of deviating from the company’s original philanthropic mission, seeking $150 billion in damages and the removal of Altman from the board. Musk also aims to dismantle the for-profit structure created by OpenAI last year.

In court, Brockman appeared more relaxed compared to previous questioning, where he faced scrutiny regarding a past diary entry in which he described ambitions for wealth, despite Musk having previously donated millions to the nonprofit.

The defense team is attempting to demonstrate that Musk was actively involved in and supported commercial initiatives, suggesting that his lawsuit stems from resentment.

On Monday, Musk’s lawyers focused on Brockman’s diary entries that hinted at the desire to transition OpenAI towards financial gain. Brockman had noted, “How do we get to $1 billion financially?” and pondered the switch to a for-profit model.

Brockman maintained, sometimes showing signs of anxiety, that his drive to transition OpenAI into a commercial entity was always mission-focused, placing personal financial gain as a secondary consideration. “Solving for the mission has always been my primary motivation,” he asserted, insisting that this remains unchanged today.