OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has filed a countersuit against Elon Musk, accusing him of engaging in a campaign of harassment and bad-faith tactics to disrupt the company’s operations. The legal filing marks the latest development in the ongoing feud between Musk and OpenAI, a company he co-founded in 2015 but later parted ways with.
“Elon’s nonstop actions against us are just bad-faith tactics to slow down OpenAI and seize control of the leading AI innovations for his personal benefit. Today, we counter-sued to stop him,” said OpenAI.
Allegations against Elon Musk
In its countersuit, OpenAI alleges that Musk has used various methods to harm the company, including:
- Public Criticism: Elon Musk has repeatedly attacked OpenAI on social media, broadcasting negative campaigns to his millions of followers.
- Legal Claims: OpenAI claims Elon Musk has filed harassing lawsuits and made pretextual demands for corporate records.
- Sham Takeover Bid: Earlier this year, Elon Musk made an unsolicited $97.4 billion bid to acquire OpenAI, which the company rejected, calling it a “sham” intended to disrupt its growth.
“He’s been spreading false information about us. We’re actually getting ready to build the best-equipped nonprofit the world has ever seen – we’re not converting it away. Elon’s never been about the mission. He’s always had his own agenda. He tried to seize control of OpenAI and merge it with Tesla as a for-profit – his own emails prove it. When he didn’t get his way, he stormed off.Elon is undoubtedly one of the greatest entrepreneurs of our time. But these antics are just history on repeat – Elon being all about Elon,” added OpenAI.
OpenAI’s legal team has requested a federal judge to block Elon Musk from further actions and hold him accountable for the damage caused.
OpenAI’s transition to for-profit model
The countersuit comes as OpenAI works to complete its transition to a for-profit model, a move it says is essential to secure $40 billion in funding and compete in the expensive AI race. Elon Musk has publicly criticised this shift, accusing OpenAI of straying from its founding mission to develop AI for the benefit of humanity.
Elon Musk’s response
Elon Musk’s legal team has defended his actions, arguing that his takeover bid was serious and that OpenAI’s rejection reflects its unwillingness to consider fair market value for its assets. Elon Musk has also accused OpenAI of prioritising profits over AI safety, a claim the company denies.
