Elon Musk has revived a lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAI, bringing new allegations to federal court. According to a court filing published on Monday, August 5, Musk claims he was manipulated into co-founding OpenAI under the belief that it would function as a nonprofit organization.
Allegations Of Deception
According to the court filing, Musk was allegedly “courted and deceived” by Altman and Greg Brockman, the current OpenAI President. The lawsuit argues that after Musk invested millions of dollars, he was betrayed when OpenAI transitioned into a for-profit entity. The lawsuit further accuses Altman and his associates of engaging in “self-dealing” and creating a “web of opaque for-profit affiliates” with the help of Microsoft.
Musk describes the alleged deceit as “Shakespearean in proportion,” reflecting his intense discontent with the situation. This new lawsuit echoes claims from a previous case Musk filed against OpenAI and Altman earlier this year in California, which he ultimately dropped.
The lawsuit claims:
“The perfidy and deceit are of Shakespearean proportions.”
The accusations mirror Musk's previous suit against OpenAI and Altman earlier this year in California, which he eventually dropped.
Concerns About Artificial Intelligence
Musk has consistently warned about the risks of artificial intelligence and its dangers to humanity. In this latest lawsuit, he claims that Altman and Brockman “manipulated” him into co-founding OpenAI. They reportedly promised “that it would chart a safer, more open course than profit-driven tech giants.”
The lawsuit alleges:
“Altman assured Musk that the non-profit structure guaranteed neutrality and a focus on safety and openness for the benefit of humanity, not shareholder value. But as it turns out, this was all hot-air philanthropy—the hook for Altman’s long con.”
The lawsuit claims that Microsoft was also involved in the case.
Musk’s filing states:
Microsoft “sought to obtain leverage in other ways by, for example, enticing OpenAI, Inc. to use and become inextricably dependent on Microsoft’s cloud computing system.
“While Musk expressed a liking for Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella … the values of the company and OpenAI, Inc. did not align.”
