OAKLAND: Greg Brockman told a California court that Elon Musk physically intimidated him during a 2017 confrontation linked to control of OpenAI.
Testifying in Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, Brockman claimed Musk became angry after being denied full control of the company.
“I actually thought he was going to hit me,” Brockman told the jury during proceedings in Oakland.
The lawsuit centres on Musk’s allegations that OpenAI abandoned its original non-profit mission and improperly transformed into a highly valuable commercial entity.
Musk argues that his $38 million contribution helped establish the organisation before it evolved into a company now valued at more than $850 billion.
OpenAI has rejected those claims, arguing that Musk voluntarily left the organisation after failing to gain majority control and later launched rival AI venture xAI.
Prioritising safety concerns
During cross-examination, Brockman addressed diary entries presented by Musk’s legal team, including one from 2017 that read: “It’d be wrong to steal the non-profit from him… That’d be pretty morally bankrupt.”
Responding to the documents, Brockman said: “It’s very painful, very deeply personal writings that were never meant for the world to see, but there’s nothing in there I’m ashamed of.”
He also alleged that Musk later suggested pursuing artificial intelligence development without prioritising safety concerns.
The case is being closely watched across the technology industry, particularly as OpenAI continues expanding rapidly amid intense competition in the AI sector.
Brockman testified that OpenAI now spends around $50 billion annually on computing power, compared to just $30 million in 2017, highlighting the enormous costs associated with modern AI development.
