Musk Texted OpenAI President About Settlement Days Before Trial

CNBC reported Monday that Elon Musk privately texted OpenAI President Greg Brockman about a possible Musk OpenAI settlement just 48 hours before their federal lawsuit was set to begin. A court filing submitted Sunday evening disclosed the exchange.

According to the filing, when Brockman replied by proposing that both parties withdraw all claims against each other, Musk rejected the idea with a sharp warning. He told Brockman that he and CEO Sam Altman would become “the most hated men in America” by the week’s end.

OpenAI Moves to Enter Text as Evidence

OpenAI’s legal team wasted little time. Lawyers filed a motion to introduce the text message as trial evidence, arguing it exposes Musk’s true motivation. Their position is that the lawsuit is primarily a competitive attack on a rival AI company rather than a genuine legal grievance. Brockman could take the witness stand as early as Monday, and OpenAI’s attorneys signaled they intend to surface the text during his testimony.

Also Read: What Is xAI? Elon Musk’s AI Startup Explained

Background: A Founding Dispute Years in the Making

Musk was among OpenAI’s original co-founders when the organization launched in 2015 as a nonprofit focused on safe, broadly accessible AI research. He departed the company’s board in 2018. OpenAI subsequently created a for-profit subsidiary that same year, beginning a commercial shift that accelerated sharply after ChatGPT launched in late 2022.

The company is now valued at more than $850 billion by private investors. Musk filed his lawsuit in 2024, contending that roughly $38 million he donated during OpenAI’s early years was funneled into commercial ventures without authorization. He has characterized the company’s for-profit arm as having overtaken its original charitable purpose.

Also Read: OpenAI Hits $300 Billion Valuation in SoftBank-Led Funding Round

First Week of Testimony Sets a Combative Tone

Musk spent three days on the witness stand during the trial’s opening week in federal court in Oakland, California, presided over by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. He repeatedly accused Altman and Brockman of misappropriating what he called a public charity for private gain. He also faced questions about xAI, his competing AI venture, which he merged with SpaceX in February in a transaction that valued xAI at $250 billion. OpenAI has publicly dismissed Musk’s allegations as entirely without merit. Trial proceedings are set to resume Monday morning.

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