How Elon Musk left OpenAI, according to Greg Brockman

In late August 2017, pivotal figures at OpenAI, a budding research lab, convened to deliberate on the establishment of a for-profit entity aimed at commercializing their technology and securing the necessary funding for achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI). At the center of the discussion was Elon Musk, who sought complete control over the organization. To curry favor, he had gifted Tesla Model 3 cars to his fellow co-founders, but CTO Greg Brockman perceived this as a tactic to garner support amidst a rivalry with Sam Altman regarding the future direction of the company. During the meeting, OpenAI's head of research, Ilya Sutskever, had even commissioned a painting of a Tesla to present to Musk, hoping to create a friendly atmosphere. However, the mood shifted dramatically when Musk was informed that his demand for control over the company would not be met. Brockman described the ensuing moments as tense, with Musk displaying visible anger and frustration. After a period of silence, Musk declared, "I decline," before storming around the table. In a heated moment, he grabbed the painting and questioned Brockman and Sutskever about their future at OpenAI. Musk's departure from the board came just six months later, following a cessation of his regular financial support for the organization. This period of turmoil in 2017 is now under scrutiny as Musk's ongoing legal battles against his former co-founders unfold. Greg Brockman, who has recently testified for two days, has revealed insights from a personal journal, shedding light on the challenges faced by tech executives amid such fierce disputes. Brockman described the situation as "very painful" and acknowledged the deeply personal nature of his writings, which he never intended to be public. The contentious negotiations among the co-founders became public fodder, especially with Musk's provocative text to Brockman just days before the trial commenced, warning that they would face widespread hatred if they persisted in their decisions. As the legal proceedings continue, Musk's legal team aims to portray Altman and Brockman as having misappropriated a charitable organization, while OpenAI's defense counters that Musk had similar objectives. The discord began to intensify when an OpenAI model triumphed over a top human player in the video game DOTA II, leading the team to realize that computational resources were essential for developing advanced AI technologies. The founders agreed that a purely non-profit approach would not suffice, prompting discussions about a for-profit subsidiary. However, Musk's insistence on having "unequivocal" control clashed with the other founders' proposals for equal shares, leading to a breakdown in their partnership. As Brockman and Sutskever contemplated removing Musk from the board, they produced journal entries reflecting the gravity of the situation. Ultimately, Musk voluntarily left the board in February 2018, expressing concerns that OpenAI was headed for failure and deciding to focus more on AI at Tesla instead. Despite allegations of prioritizing personal wealth over the organization's mission, Brockman defended the achievements of OpenAI and its significant valuation, attributing its success to the hard work of its team. Meanwhile, Musk’s lawyers scrutinized Brockman’s past commitments, including a promised donation that was never fulfilled. The trial is set to continue into the following week, highlighting the turbulent history that shaped OpenAI and the stark contrasts in vision among its founders.