Elon Musk Accuses OpenAI Lawyer William Savitt of Deception During Court Testimony

During his second day on the stand, Elon Musk engaged in a combative exchange with OpenAI's legal counsel, William Savitt, accusing him of posing overly complex questions designed to mislead. "Your questions are not simple," Musk stated, adding, "They're designed to trick me essentially."

Musk is suing fellow OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman and the AI firm, asserting that they misrepresented the organisation's foundational shift from a non-profit structure to a for-profit entity. OpenAI, conversely, maintains that Musk's lawsuit stems from jealousy and remorse concerning his decision to leave the company in 2018, further alleging that Musk, as head of xAI, seeks to undermine a competitor.

In court, Musk, dressed in a dark suit, began his testimony with Altman and OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, also named in the suit, observing from the front row. Musk acknowledged his initial intent for control over OpenAI, though he anticipated this would evolve as more investors became involved. The tech billionaire emphasised his desire to guide the company's early direction, given his near-exclusive capital provision at the outset.

Musk stated he deliberately chose a non-profit model for OpenAI, despite his experience creating numerous for-profit ventures. "I could have done that with OpenAI, but I chose not to. I chose something that was for the public benefit," he asserted, reinforcing his commitment to public good over private gain.

Musk seeks billions in what his legal team terms "wrongful gains," which he intends to channel into OpenAI's non-profit division. He also demands a corporate overhaul, including Altman's removal. OpenAI counters that Musk is leveraging the lawsuit to hinder a key competitor in the AI sector, despite his purported advocacy for AI safety and regulation.

Savitt challenged Musk's claim that his non-profit preference was driven by concerns over Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) falling into nefarious hands, particularly given Musk's subsequent launch of xAI, a for-profit AI startup, just a year after OpenAI released ChatGPT.

The lawsuit, initiated by Musk in 2024, cites breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment, targeting Altman, Brockman, and Microsoft, a major OpenAI investor. Musk has consistently criticised OpenAI's 2019 decision to establish a commercial arm, predating ChatGPT's market impact. xAI, launched in 2023, trails its competitors.

OpenAI argues that Musk was aware of the commercial arm's establishment and only departed after failing to secure comprehensive control. The firm asserts that Musk's £38 million donation was "spent exactly as intended and in service of the mission."

In his opening statement, Musk characterised the lawsuit simply: "It's not okay to steal a charity... If it's okay to loot a charity, the entire foundation of charitable giving will be destroyed." Savitt, for OpenAI, retorted that Musk's lawsuit was an attempt to "kneecap" a rival, alleging that Musk used his investment to "bully" other founders and sought to merge OpenAI with Tesla. Savitt concluded, "We're here because Mr Musk didn't get his way at OpenAI. Because he's a competitor, Mr Musk will do anything to attack OpenAI." Altman is scheduled to testify later in the trial, which is expected to continue for several weeks.