OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman has told a US court he feared Elon Musk might physically attack him during a tense confrontation.
In a testimony first reportedbyWired, which is providing primary courtroom coverage of the case, Brockman, giving evidence in the ongoing legal dispute between Musk and OpenAI's leadership, recounted a volatile 2017 meeting that, he said, escalated swiftly from a cordial exchange into a heated confrontation.
'Something really shifted in him,' Brockman said of Elon Musk. 'He became angry and he went off from there.'
'He stood up and he stormed around the table,' Brockman continued. 'I was sitting in front of the painting and I actually thought he was going to hit me. I truly thought he was going to physically attack me. Instead, he just grabbed the painting and started to storm out of the room.'
The testimony forms part of a high-stakes lawsuit in which Musk accuses OpenAI executives of abandoning the company's original non-profit mission in favour of commercial gain.
OpenAI was founded in December 2015 as a non-profit research organisation focused on developing artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity.
However, tensions emerged as the cost of building advanced AI systems surged, prompting discussions about creating a for-profit structure to attract investment.
According to Brockman, the 2017 meeting marked a turning point.Musk allegedly pushed for majority control of the proposed for-profit entity, arguing that such authority was necessary to secure vast funding, reportedly tens of billions of dollars, to pursue ambitious AI and space-related goals.
When other co-founders resisted, advocating a more balanced governance model, the atmosphere deteriorated. Brockman said Musk grew increasingly agitated, questioning the company's direction and the roles of its leadership.
The encounter, held at Musk's residence, reportedly began on a positive note. Brockman said the discussion initially appeared constructive, with exchanges of gifts and informal conversation.
Source: International Business Times UK
