OpenAI Co‑Founder Says Elon Musk Threatened Him in 2017 Control Dispute

Context The testimony came in the second week of the month‑long trial between Musk and OpenAI over the company’s shift from a nonprofit to a for‑profit model. Brockman, now OpenAI’s president, faced Musk’s lawsuit seeking to reverse that transition. The case pits the billionaire’s desire for influence against the AI lab’s claim of independent governance.

Key Facts Brockman recounted that after he rejected Musk’s proposal for greater control, the entrepreneur’s demeanor changed abruptly. “I actually thought he was going to hit me,” Brockman said, describing the moment he felt physically threatened. The meeting ended when Musk announced he would stop funding OpenAI, a contribution he had made since the lab’s 2015 launch.

Text messages presented by OpenAI’s lawyers show Musk’s team trying to “butter up” Brockman and fellow co‑founder Ilya Sutskever. One message asked, “Will a Model 3 make you be willing to accept massively unfavourable terms?” The Model 3 is a mid‑range electric car produced by Musk’s company Tesla.

Brockman also referenced former board member Shivon Zilis, mother of four of Musk’s children. Zilis told him her twins were conceived via IVF and that her relationship with Musk was strictly platonic. Brockman said the board relied on Zilis to keep Musk‑related conflicts in check. Zilis left the board in March 2023 as Musk launched xAI, a direct competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

What It Means If the jury finds Musk’s conduct threatened the safety of OpenAI’s leadership, it could bolster the nonprofit’s position that Musk attempted to coerce a shift toward profit. The testimony also highlights how personal ties—such as Zilis’s connection to Musk—were used to manage corporate risk. The trial’s outcome will shape the governance model for AI research firms and may set precedents for founder influence in high‑tech startups.

Looking ahead, the court will hear from additional witnesses, including Zilis herself, before delivering a verdict that could redefine the balance of power between visionary investors and independent AI labs.