Overview
- In courtroom testimony, OpenAI president Greg Brockman said Elon Musk in 2017 pressed to take charge of OpenAI and argued he needed $80 billion to build a city on Mars.
- Brockman recounted a meeting that turned tense, saying Musk grew angry, took a thank‑you painting, and walked out when founders rejected his push for control.
- He also testified that Musk demanded a 51% stake and the CEO role and threatened to hold back funding, adding he briefly feared Musk might hit him.
- Musk’s ongoing suit claims Sam Altman and Brockman defrauded him of $38 million and seeks $150 billion in damages along with their removal from leadership.
- OpenAI counters that Musk left before its big wins, now wants to regain control and lift his rival firm xAI, as the company has since restructured for profit, raised over $100 billion, and is reported to be weighing a potential $1 trillion IPO.