Explosive testimony in the OpenAI trial: Elon Musk wanted to raise 80 billion dollars for the colonization of Mars
In the ongoing trial in California, Greg Brockman, the co-founder of OpenAI, said under oath that Elon Musk supported the transformation of the organization into a for-profit company, but only on the condition that he would have full control over it, Reuters reports.
According to his testimony, Musk would have wanted this in part to raise the necessary funding for a project to colonize Mars, estimated at around $80 billion.
In a hearing on Tuesday, Brockman explained that as early as 2017, Musk believed that OpenAI's non-profit structure limited its ability to attract sufficient funds to develop advanced artificial intelligence models. In this context, Musk would have proposed the reorganization of the company, but with a clear condition: to become its leader.
The only other candidate mentioned for leadership was Sam Altman, the company's current chief executive.
Brockman described in that testimony a tense meeting in which Musk allegedly argued that he deserved a majority stake in the company because of his business experience. According to his testimony, Musk intended to use this position to finance the construction of a self-sufficient city on Mars. “He said he needed $80 billion to create a city,” Brockman said, adding that Musk wanted to personally decide when he would relinquish control of the company.
From collaboration to conflict
The current lawsuit was brought by Musk, the co-founder of OpenAI, on the grounds that it improperly became a for-profit company, abandoning its charitable goals and transforming itself into a profit-oriented entity to enrich management.
Musk claims to have contributed $38 million to OpenAI under the premise of a charity, and is now seeking $150 billion in damages. He also calls for the removal of Altman and Brockman from their leadership positions.
On the other hand, OpenAI states that Musk may have acted out of frustration after leaving the board before the organization achieved its current success. The company also suggests that the lawsuit may be related to Musk's interests in artificial intelligence through his own company, xAI.
Brockman revealed that an August 2017 meeting that had started well quickly deteriorated. Musk had previously given Tesla cars to OpenAI employees, and researcher Ilya Sutskever had made a portrait of a Tesla car as a gift.
However, discussions about the shareholding structure have degenerated. Unsatisfied with the proposals, Musk reportedly became visibly irritated, refusing the offer and abruptly leaving the room, taking the painting with him and threatening to withhold funding until the situation was resolved.
Brockman also revealed that his stake in OpenAI is worth nearly $30 billion. The company is also planning massive investments, estimating spending around $50 billion on computing resources in 2026 alone.
After restructuring in 2019, OpenAI managed to attract more than 100 billion dollars from external investors, strengthening its position in the global race for the development of artificial intelligence. The launch of the ChatGPT chatbot at the end of 2022 sparked a global wave of interest in generative AI technology.
SpaceX Connections and the Future of Space Exploration
Musk's Mars ambitions are closely linked to SpaceX, his aerospace company, which could go public this year. According to internal documents, SpaceX's board approved granting 200 million shares with special rights to Musk if the company's value reaches $7.5 trillion and if it succeeds in establishing a permanent colony on Mars with at least one million inhabitants.
The lawsuit, now in its second week, could have major consequences for the future of OpenAI, as well as the global AI industry.
