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Musk Feared Physical Attack from Elon Musk During Equity Dispute, OpenAI President Testifies
🇲🇽 Mexico /Elections & Politics

Musk Feared Physical Attack from Elon Musk During Equity Dispute, OpenAI President Testifies

From El Universal · (1h ago) Spanish Critical tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • OpenAI President Greg Brockman testified that Elon Musk became enraged during a 2017 meeting and Brockman feared physical assault.
  • Brockman recounted Musk's anger over equity distribution in a for-profit subsidiary and his subsequent departure from the meeting, taking a Tesla Model 3 picture.
  • The trial, initiated by Musk, accuses OpenAI of breaching its non-profit mission for financial gain, a claim OpenAI dismisses as envy-driven.

In a California court, OpenAI President Greg Brockman provided testimony that paints a vivid picture of Elon Musk's volatile behavior during a critical 2017 meeting. Brockman recounted his fear of physical assault from Musk when discussions turned heated over the equity distribution of a for-profit subsidiary. This account, detailed in the ongoing trial against OpenAI, highlights the dramatic clashes that have defined the company's early days and its relationship with its high-profile co-founder.

Something transformed in him. You could feel it. He was angry, he was agitated.

— Greg BrockmanOpenAI President Greg Brockman describing Elon Musk's demeanor during a 2017 meeting.

Musk's alleged outburst, described by Brockman as a sudden transformation where "something changed in him," culminated in Musk demanding control of the company and storming out of the room after a proposal was rejected. The incident, where Musk reportedly ripped a Tesla Model 3 picture from the wall, underscores the intense personal dynamics at play. This trial is not just about corporate governance; it's a public airing of grievances that could shape the future of artificial intelligence development.

He rejected the proposal and immediately tore a picture representing a Tesla Model 3 off the wall and left the room furiously.

— Greg BrockmanOpenAI President Greg Brockman recounting Elon Musk's actions after a rejected proposal.

Brockman also addressed Musk's past proposal for a merger with Tesla, which OpenAI founders rejected due to a lack of interest in the automotive sector. Furthermore, the testimony touched upon Shivon Zilis's role as a mediator between Musk and OpenAI's co-founders before she joined Musk's ventures. Brockman emphatically denied deceiving Musk, countering the latter's accusation of

I was a fool to give OpenAI $38 billion in essentially free funding to create what would become an $800 billion company.

— Elon MuskElon Musk's statement regarding his initial funding of OpenAI, as cited in the trial.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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