Elon Musk vs Sam Altman: From $10 million 'arrangement' hidden from Elon Musk to other 'embarrassing' diary entries of OpenAI President Greg Brockman revealed in court
OpenAI president and co-founder Greg Brockman revealed new details about his financial ties and role inside OpenAI during an ongoing court trial, bringing fresh attention to the company’s early decisions and internal relationships. The disclosures came as part of testimony in a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk, who has accused OpenAI of moving away from its original nonprofit mission. During questioning, Brockman confirmed that his stake in OpenAI is now worth close to $30 billion, a figure that was not publicly known earlier. The testimony also revealed details of past arrangements involving CEO Sam Altman, including financial links that were not directly discussed with Musk at the time. The case, now in its second week, is examining OpenAI’s transition into a for-profit company and could have implications for its leadership and future structure. Here are key details revealed in Brockman’s diary entries
Turning OpenAI from non-profit to for profit
“We’ve been thinking that maybe we should just flip to a for profit,” Brockman allegedly wrote in a diary note. “Making the money for us sounds great and all.” The court documents also showed Brockman wrote down his reservations about the wildly lucrative game plan. “Can’t see us turning this into a for-profit without a very nasty fight,” Brockman wrote in his diary. “It’d be wrong to steal the non-profit from him. That’d be pretty morally bankrupt.”
Greg Brockman’s $30 billion stake disclosed in court
Taking the stand, Brockman told the court that his ownership in OpenAI is now valued at nearly $30 billion. This is the first time such a figure has been made public. The disclosure came during questioning by Elon Musk’s legal team, which is trying to show that financial incentives may have influenced decisions within the company.
2017 ‘arrangement’ linked to Sam Altman
One of the key points raised in court relates to a 2017 compensation arrangement. Emails shown during the hearing suggested that the OpenAI CEO gave Brockman a stake in his personal family office, which was valued at about $10 million at the time.
The emails indicated that this arrangement was shared with Musk through his associate, rather than directly by Brockman. In one message, it was noted that the deal could mean Brockman might have “a greater allegiance” to Altman.
Musk responded to the message by forwarding it to Brockman with question marks. When asked about his loyalty in court, Brockman said, “I don't know I would say it quite like that.”
Stakes in Sam Altman-backed companies
Greg Brockman also disclosed that he holds stakes in other companies backed by Altman. These include AI chip startup Cerebras and fusion energy company Helion. The court heard that Brockman owned shares in Cerebras even when OpenAI was considering buying its chips. He also confirmed his investment in Helion, where Altman has invested heavily.
Turning OpenAI from non-profit to for profit
“We’ve been thinking that maybe we should just flip to a for profit,” Brockman allegedly wrote in a diary note. “Making the money for us sounds great and all.” The court documents also showed Brockman wrote down his reservations about the wildly lucrative game plan. “Can’t see us turning this into a for-profit without a very nasty fight,” Brockman wrote in his diary. “It’d be wrong to steal the non-profit from him. That’d be pretty morally bankrupt.”
Greg Brockman’s $30 billion stake disclosed in court
Taking the stand, Brockman told the court that his ownership in OpenAI is now valued at nearly $30 billion. This is the first time such a figure has been made public. The disclosure came during questioning by Elon Musk’s legal team, which is trying to show that financial incentives may have influenced decisions within the company.
2017 ‘arrangement’ linked to Sam Altman
One of the key points raised in court relates to a 2017 compensation arrangement. Emails shown during the hearing suggested that the OpenAI CEO gave Brockman a stake in his personal family office, which was valued at about $10 million at the time.
The emails indicated that this arrangement was shared with Musk through his associate, rather than directly by Brockman. In one message, it was noted that the deal could mean Brockman might have “a greater allegiance” to Altman.
Musk responded to the message by forwarding it to Brockman with question marks. When asked about his loyalty in court, Brockman said, “I don't know I would say it quite like that.”
Stakes in Sam Altman-backed companies
Greg Brockman also disclosed that he holds stakes in other companies backed by Altman. These include AI chip startup Cerebras and fusion energy company Helion. The court heard that Brockman owned shares in Cerebras even when OpenAI was considering buying its chips. He also confirmed his investment in Helion, where Altman has invested heavily.
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