A recent New Yorker story is full of nasty allegations about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman – particularly about his alleged lying and “socialist” behavior. But a new letter from OpenAI asks the states of California and Delaware to focus on something else entirely in the New Yorker story: alleged wrongdoing by Elon Musk.
The letter also mentioned Meta, another major OpenAI competitor, as reported by CNBC. Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s head of global affairs, claimed to CNBC that Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg are “tending to conduct and attitudes that we think are really highly questionable and worthy of investigation.”
The letter was also reviewed by the Sacramento Bee, which wrote that it accused Musk and Zuckerberg of trying, according to the Bee, “to obtain incriminating information about Altman.”
Along with the letter, OpenAI is apparently asking the attorneys general of California and Delaware to investigate Musk — who, in addition to everything else, is a rival AI executive — for “unfair and anti-competitive behavior,” more specifically, for coordinated “attacks” with Meta. The attacks could reportedly hamper OpenAI’s ability to bring artificial general intelligence (AGI), it said.
Musk, to refresh your memory, is suing OpenAI for $134 billion at last count. From the beginning, OpenAI has portrayed the suit as part of a long smear campaign. A statement in January this year called Musk’s lawsuit “baseless and part of an ongoing pattern of harassment.”
The case is being heard in the Northern District of California. On April 27, CNBC says jury selection will begin.
CNBC says the letter to Delaware and California references “a recent report from The New Yorker” about Musk and his “middlemen.”
A relevant excerpt from the New Yorker story follows:
“Intermediaries directly connected to Musk, and in at least one case compensated, have disseminated dozens of pages of detailed opposition research about Altman. They reflect extensive surveillance, documentation of shell companies linked to him, personal contact information of close associates, and even an interview about an alleged sex worker conducted at a gay bar. One of the Musk intermediaries claimed that Altman’s flights and the parties he attended were being tracked. Was staying.”
“These attacks,” Kwon wrote in the letter, “are designed to take control of the future of AGI out of the hands of those who are legally bound to pursue the mission of ensuring that AGI benefits all of humanity, and place it into the hands of competitors who lack mission-driven principles and reject any responsibility for security.”
A report from Engadget late last month revealed that Zuckerberg had texted Musk last year offering to help his efforts to combat federal budget cuts with DOGE. Musk responded with a heart emoji, but then asked Zuckerberg if he would be “open to the idea of bidding on the OpenAI IP with me and a few others.” Zuckerberg then suggested that the conversation be transferred to a phone call.
Gizmodo contacted XAI and Meta for comment regarding this letter. We will update this article if we get any response.
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