OpenAI Calls on the Attorney General to Investigate Musk

Before the letter was released, there were reports that Musk had attempted to spread negative investigative materials targeting Sam Altman.

According to a copy of the letter seen by the tech media “The Information,” OpenAI Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon called on the attorneys general of California and Delaware on Monday to investigate Elon Musk for allegedly deliberately sabotaging OpenAI.

OpenAI stated that Musk repeatedly tried to interfere with the company’s operations and described his actions as “anti-competitive behavior.” The letter cites a report published by The New Yorker on Monday, claiming that Musk bought at least one person to spread provocative and potentially false statements against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Another allegation involves Musk’s proposed acquisition offer last year, valued at $97.4 billion, attempting to buy out the assets of OpenAI’s nonprofit organization.

This letter marks the latest round in the long-standing dispute between OpenAI and Musk. Musk, a co-founder who has severed ties with the company, has publicly stated that the startup violated its public mission to ensure that powerful artificial intelligence benefits humanity.

The two attorneys general mentioned above reached an agreement with OpenAI at the end of October last year, allowing the company to reorganize: its profit-making division was restructured into a company with traditional equity, while the nonprofit division was transformed into a foundation. The letter issued on Monday pointed out that Musk’s series of actions are undermining these agreements and the foundation’s public mission.

OpenAI stated in the letter that Musk is suing OpenAI on the grounds of “breach of public trust,” seeking over $100 billion in damages, which could directly exhaust the foundation’s entire assets. A lawyer representing Musk countered this, saying that if Musk wins the case, the related compensation would be paid from the company’s profit-making division.