Zilis Testifies Musk Tried to Recruit Altman Away From OpenAI
SAN FRANCISCO — Shivon Zilis testified Thursday that Elon Musk attempted to recruit Sam Altman away from OpenAI during week two of the Musk v. OpenAI trial, according to MIT Technology Review.
The testimony conflicts with Musk’s central claim in the lawsuit — that Altman and OpenAI president Greg Brockman deceived him into donating $38 million to the organization by promising to maintain its nonprofit structure and open-source mission.
During the first week of the trial, Musk took the stand and alleged that Altman and Brockman made commitments about OpenAI’s direction that they later abandoned when the company pursued a for-profit conversion. Musk has argued he would not have made the donations had he known the company would shift course.
OpenAI used the second week to mount its defense, pushing back against the narrative Musk established during his testimony, MIT Technology Review reported. Musk founded his own AI venture, xAI, in 2023, which directly competes with OpenAI.
The case is being closely watched across the AI industry as it touches on fundamental questions about nonprofit governance, donor expectations and the legal obligations of organizations that convert from nonprofit to for-profit structures. OpenAI’s planned conversion has drawn scrutiny from multiple state attorneys general as well.
The trial is expected to continue in the coming weeks, with additional witnesses and evidence anticipated from both sides.
