Greg Brockman took the stand this week in the landmark trial between Elon Musk and OpenAI, revealing new details about the 2017 dispute that led to Musk's departure from the AI lab.

Brockman testified that Musk pushed for OpenAI to create a for-profit entity and demanded "absolute control" over it, including majority equity and the right to choose board members. This contradicts Musk's claims that he donated $38 million to preserve OpenAI's nonprofit mission.

The confrontation came to a head in August 2017 during a meeting where cofounders discussed the for-profit structure. When Brockman and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever proposed equal equity shares, Musk "stormed around the table" and walked out with a Tesla painting, Brockman said.

"The one thing we could not accept was to hand him unilateral, absolute control, potentially, over the AGI," Brockman told the jury.

Shivon Zilis, a former OpenAI board member and mother of four of Musk's children, also testified that Musk tried to recruit Sam Altman to lead a new AI lab at Tesla.

Stakes reach $134 billion

Musk is seeking up to $134 billion in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft, claiming the companies deceived him about maintaining the nonprofit structure. He wants the court to remove Altman and Brockman from their roles and unwind OpenAI's 2025 restructuring into a public benefit corporation.

The trial outcome could derail OpenAI's planned IPO at a valuation approaching $1 trillion. Meanwhile, Musk's xAI, now a SpaceX division, is targeting a $1.75 trillion valuation for a potential June public offering.

Days before the trial began, Musk messaged Brockman asking about settlement. When Brockman suggested both sides drop their claims, Musk responded: "By the end of this week, you and Sam will be the most hated men in America."

The trial continues as both companies race toward massive public offerings that could reshape the AI industry's competitive landscape.