Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, testified in court on May 12 that Elon Musk once suggested the AI company should be passed to his children if he died.
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Forget margin or options. Here's how the pros trade NVDAThe claim came up in the third week of the ongoing trial, in which the SpaceX CEO alleges that OpenAI’s founders betrayed its nonprofit mission. Altman took the stand to push back on those claims, adding new detail to Musk’s filed federal lawsuit that began in late April.
Altman Reveals What Worried Him About Musk in 2017
In a federal court in California, with Judge Yvonne Rogers presiding over the high-stakes legal case, Altman was questioned about whether OpenAI moved away from its safety focus as its business grew. He replied that during a 2017 funding debate, Musk’s views on AI safety gave him concern.
He described a specific moment when Musk was asked what would happen if he died while in control of a hypothetical for-profit OpenAI. According to Altman, Musk replied that the firm should be passed to his children.
Altman said the statement alarmed him because OpenAI was built to prevent advanced AI from falling under the control of one person. He also testified that Musk’s management style damaged OpenAI’s culture, including pushing for researchers to be ranked and then cut, adding that it caused lasting harm.
Despite the tension, Altman kept in touch with Musk after he left the board. OpenAI’s lawyers even noted that Musk was kept updated on the firm’s progress and was invited to participate in investments that his lawsuit claimed corrupted the non-profit.
Musk’s Team Challenges OpenAI’s Nonprofit Record
Altman was also asked about Musk’s accusation that OpenAI’s founders “stole a charity” when they launched a for-profit arm. After a brief pause, he said the framing was hard to process.
He added that they created “one of the largest charities in the world” and that its foundation was doing incredible work. Musk’s legal team, however, argued that OpenAI’s foundation, which now holds around $200 billion in assets, did not have full-time staff until earlier this year.
OpenAI board chair Bret Taylor later addressed that in his testimony, saying the delay was tied to the challenge of turning the company’s equity into cash. He noted the issue was resolved through OpenAI’s 2025 restructuring.
Is OpenAI On the Stock Market?
OpenAI does not have publicly traded stock because it remains a private company. Although the AI firm has indicated plans for an IPO this year, only accredited investors can buy its shares for now. Meanwhile, investors seeking exposure to AI stocks should consider publicly traded alternatives such as Google (GOOGL), Nvidia (NVDA), and Microsoft (MSFT). These stocks are currently listed as Strong Buys on the TipRanks Stock Comparison Center.
