Elon Musk’s Last-Ditch Effort to Control OpenAI: Recruit Sam Altman to Tesla

Court evidence showed Elon Musk tried in 2017–2018 to recruit Sam Altman for Tesla’s planned AI lab and even floated a Tesla board seat.

The emails and testimony were introduced in Musk’s case alleging OpenAI leaders wrongly turned a nonprofit into a valuable private company.

OpenAI says Musk’s lawsuit stems from his failure to gain control of the group and his later decision to launch a rival AI venture.

The testimony may shape how the court views competing claims over who sought to control or reshape OpenAI.