In August 2017, OpenAI, then a nonprofit lab, held a pivotal meeting about forming a for-profit to commercialize its technology. Elon Musk wanted full control and had gifted his co-founders Tesla Model 3s. CTO Greg Brockman viewed this as Musk’s strategy to win support over competing visions with Sam Altman. OpenAI’s head of research, Ilya Sutskever, had a Tesla painting for Musk as a goodwill gesture.
However, tensions rose when Musk’s control demand was rejected. Brockman recalls Musk growling, “I decline,” then storming around, taking the painting, and asking Brockman when he’d be leaving OpenAI. Despite this, Brockman and Sutskever stayed, and Musk halted his donations, leaving the board within six months while funding some shared office space until 2020.
The founders’ disagreement over OpenAI’s control later fueled a legal battle, with Greg Brockman testifying over two days, using his journal for context on facing Musk. Brockman said public attention on his journal was painful, though he wasn’t ashamed of it.
The founders’ dispute echoed again when a Musk text to Brockman warned they’d become hated. Musk’s team aims to show Altman and Brockman “stole a charity,” while OpenAI claims Musk had similar intentions.
The 2017 tipping point was an OpenAI model’s success in DOTA II, demonstrating the necessity of computational power and funds beyond a nonprofit model. This led to talks of a for-profit arm, which Musk wanted control over, countered by founders favoring equal or investment-based equity shares. They also considered linking Tesla’s AI work to OpenAI.
Without Musk’s control, the partnership fragmented. Brockman expressed that no single person should control OpenAI. Discussions on ousting Musk ended with his voluntary departure in February 2018, prioritizing Tesla AI. Brockman’s reflections pondered financial satisfaction and the opportunity to distance from Musk.
Musk’s lawyers highlighted Brockman’s interest in personal wealth over nonprofit goals, noting his company stake nearing $30 billion. Brockman retorted by pointing to OpenAI’s value exceeding $150 billion, built post-Musk’s exit. Brockman also faced criticism for not donating promised funds to OpenAI, while his large political donation was noted as absent from the trial.
Brockman challenged Musk’s AI understanding, recounting his dismissal of early ChatGPT software. The overlooked potential was crucial, as OpenAI eventually formed a for-profit in 2019, raising $1 billion from Microsoft, followed by $13 billion more, advancing AI leadership and wealth for executives and the nonprofit. Musk’s suspicion led to a lawsuit in 2024, with the trial ongoing.