Elon Musk reportedly tried to recruit Sam Altman for Tesla AI lab, emails show in OpenAI trial

Elon Musk attempted to recruit OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to join a proposed Tesla-based artificial intelligence lab as part of a broader effort to bring top AI talent under Tesla’s control, according to emails and court testimony presented in a federal trial.

The details emerged during proceedings in the Musk v. OpenAI case, where evidence shown to a jury indicated that Musk considered offering Altman a seat on Tesla’s board while planning a “world-class AI lab” within the company, News.Az reports, citing Wired.

The discussions took place in late 2017, when OpenAI’s founders were negotiating funding and the future direction of the organization.

Court documents and testimony from former OpenAI board member Shivon Zilis suggested that Musk viewed integration of OpenAI talent into Tesla as a way to strengthen its position in the growing artificial intelligence race. Internal messages and drafts presented in court referenced ideas of building a Tesla AI division capable of competing with major players such as Google DeepMind and Meta’s AI research teams.

The trial has also highlighted internal disputes over OpenAI’s transition from a nonprofit structure toward a for-profit model backed by major investments, including from Microsoft. Musk’s legal team argues that OpenAI deviated from its original mission, while OpenAI’s representatives claim Musk’s actions were driven by a desire to control the organization after failing to secure leadership influence.

The case continues in federal court, with both sides presenting competing narratives over the origins of OpenAI and the strategic intentions behind early collaboration efforts in the AI sector.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova