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The latest documents on Friday marked an escalation of the legal dispute between Musk and Altman, according to an analysis by Forbes. Musk served as co-chairman of OpenAI when it was founded. He filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in San Francisco, California in March, then withdrew it, and months later filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in federal court, accusing OpenAI of fraudulently abandoning the purpose of developing artificial intelligence for public welfare. Musk claimed that when he provided funding and support for the establishment of OpenAI, he had a protocol with the two co-founders of the company. OpenAI was supposed to be a non-profit organization, but it has deviated from this goal and mission.
In mid-November, Musk's side expanded the scope of accusations, alleging that Microsoft and OpenAI violated antitrust laws because OpenAI requested its investors not to invest in competitors in the artificial intelligence field, including Musk's startup xAI. Musk's lawyers stated in the documents submitted this time that OpenAI's requirements to investors are equivalent to a "collective boycott," and that "Microsoft and OpenAI are trying to consolidate their dominance by cutting off investment capital channels for competitors."
In September of this year, OpenAI announced that it would transition from a non-profit organization to a for-profit enterprise. Some analysts believe that this move will make it easier for the company to finance and operate. Public information shows that OpenAI completed its latest round of financing in October of this year, with a valuation of $157 billion. It is worth noting that Microsoft has a close relationship with OpenAI, and as of October of this year, Microsoft's total investment in OpenAI has accumulated to nearly $14 billion. Business Insider believes that if a court issues an injunction, the process of OpenAI's transition to a for-profit enterprise will be forced to interrupt, and its cooperation with Microsoft will also be halted.
The 'Wall Street Journal' reported on the 1st that OpenAI CEO Altman is one of Musk's main opponents. During Trump's campaign for the U.S. president this year, Musk contributed $200 million in support. With Trump's victory, Musk was referred to as the 'shadow president' by the outside world, while he called himself the 'first partner'. In this situation, not only Altman, but also Musk's other business competitors are worried that Musk will use his power to deal with his competitors. Altman himself is registered as a Democrat, but did not publicly support any candidate in this presidential election. The report cited sources as saying that Altman is actively operating, and he has been in contact with Trump's son-in-law Kushner and other close associates, seeking a meeting with Luttig, the new Commerce Secretary nominated by Trump, in recent weeks.