tech
May 5, 2026
Elon Musk sought a settlement with OpenAI two days before the high-profile trial in California
Elon Musk attempted to negotiate a settlement with OpenAI days before the start of a trial in California, amid a legal dispute over alleged breaches of contract and conflicts over the company's direction.
TL;DR
- Elon Musk contacted OpenAI President Greg Brockman on April 25th to propose a settlement, aiming to avoid a trial.
- Musk accused OpenAI and Microsoft of breaching their contract and unjustly enriching themselves, deviating from the company's original mission.
- OpenAI dismissed Musk's lawsuit as an unfounded attempt driven by envy to obstruct a competitor.
- During his testimony, Musk expressed regret over his initial funding of OpenAI, calling himself 'a fool' for providing 'essentially free' capital.
- Emails presented by OpenAI's lawyers showed discussions about Musk's potential equity stake if the company moved away from its non-profit status.