Musk drops lawsuit against OpenAI, co-founders Sam Altman, Greg Brockman

Miranda Nazzaro
·2-min read

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk on Tuesday moved to dismiss his lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, after alleging they failed to adhere to the company’s founding mission to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) for the benefit of humanity.

Musk’s attorney submitted the request for the case’s dismissal “without prejudice” in San Francisco Superior Court on Tuesday, without providing further reasoning on the move.

The suit, filed in February by Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, alleged that Altman and the AI company set its founding agreement “aflame” when partnering with Microsoft.

A hearing over OpenAI’s motion to dismiss the case was initially scheduled for Wednesday, according to court filings.

The Hill reached out to OpenAI and attorneys for Musk, Altman, and fellow co-founder Greg Brockman, who was also listed in the suit, for comment.

According to the suit, Musk, Altman and Brockman agreed in 2015 that OpenAI would be a nonprofit that developed AGI for the benefit of humanity and would remain open source. The suit stated the ChatGPT maker and its co-founders “reaffirmed” the agreement with Musk “on multiple occasions.”

Musk, who left OpenAI in 2018, now owns a separate AI company called xAI, alongside his ventures as the leader of the social media platform X, car manufacturer Tesla and space firm SpaceX.

The suit pointed to the creation of OpenAI’s GPT-4 model, released in March 2023, and alleged Altman “caused OpenAI to radically depart from its original mission and historical practice of making its technology and knowledge available to the public.”

OpenAI did not provide details about GPT-4’s internal design, as it did with earlier models, in a move Musk argued was primarily for commercial reasons.

Musk’s move to dismiss the suit comes one day after he criticized Apple’s new integration of OpenAI’s ChaptGPT on its new software and devices.

He threatened to ban his companies’ employees from using Apple devices if the tech giant proceeded with its new AI feature.

“If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, then Apple devices will be banned at my companies. That is an unacceptable security violation,” Musk wrote on his social media platform X.

Apple on Monday said its new “Intelligence” feature will use OpenAI’s ChatGPT to help users prioritize their notifications or help rewrite language across apps, including in emails, notes or messages.

xAI launched its own text-generating AI model as competition to ChatGPT, named Grok, earlier this year.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest stories

  • Investigation after Ryanair Boeing 737 Max plunges 2,000ft in 17 seconds during flight to London Stansted

    An investigation was launched after a Boeing 737 Max flown by Ryanair plunged at alarming speed during its final approach to London Stansted Airport, it has emerged.Flight data reveals that on December 4 last year, flight FR1269 dropped more than 2,000ft in a mere 17 seconds.

  • NAMED: Darlington woman fined for failing to clear smelly mess from her garden

    A Darlington woman has been fined and ordered to pay costs totalling over £900, after failing to clear rubbish from her garden.

  • NY AG opposes Trump motion for civil fraud judge to recuse himself

    The New York attorney general’s office accused Donald Trump of undertaking yet another effort to “undermine the Court’s legitimacy” by calling for the judge in the former president’s civil fraud trial to recuse himself over communications with a real estate attorney.

  • The North Sea could be finished under Labour

    David Latin is losing his patience. The chairman of Serica Energy has worked in the oil and gas industry for more than 30 years. He once ran a company that drilled in a war zone.

  • Judge puts $30 billion Visa, Mastercard settlement on hold, in signal of likely rejection

    A federal judge said she's not likely to approve the $30 billion settlement between the payment processing giants Visa and Mastercard and the merchants who say they've overpaid on swipe fees. Visa and Mastercard reached a settlement with a group of small businesses and merchants back in March. The deal would lower and cap the fees charged by Visa and Mastercard and allow small businesses to collectively bargain for rates with the payment processors in a similar way that the large merchants do on their own now.

  • Judge Blocks $30 Billion Visa, Mastercard 'Swipe Fee' Settlement

    Federal Judge Margo Brodie rejected the $30 billion antitrust settlement on June 25, 'The Hill' reports. In March, Visa and Mastercard agreed to limit interchange fees that retailers who accept their cards are charged.

  • En-suite ideas to design the perfect bathroom retreat

    These en-suite ideas will help you bring a touch of luxury to your bedroom, and can also value to your home. In this private space, you can have free rein to go bold and be more adventurous with the bathroom – bright colours, intricate patterns, and beautiful finishes all have a place. ‘Also an en-suite is generally only used by adults, it also won’t have the same wear and tear that a family bathroom would have, so it makes sense to be the place where you invest in high-end fixtures and fittings,' says Barrie Cutchie, Design Director at BC Designs.

  • UK holidaymakers face more chaos as hotel agent cancels all July bookings

    Tour operators say they are trying to source alternatives after the announcement by Youtravel

  • Colchester pub 'unable to serve walk-ins' amid claims site has now ceased trading

    The future of a Colchester restaurant still appears to be in limbo after fears of its closure were denied by bosses.

  • Bruce Lehrmann ordered to pay $2m in costs to Network Ten in possible ‘deal of the century’

    Ten’s lawyer says its costs from the failed defamation trial have been calculated at $3.7m but it is seeking a lesser lump sum

  • Bid for alcohol sales at Punjabi restaurant at busy shopping area

    Bosses servingPunjabi food want to sell alcohol to diners at an eatery and takeaway at a busy and ever-changing shopping area in Reading.

  • Sunak and Starmer undermining Britain’s energy security, says oil company

    Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer are destroying the offshore oil industry and undermining Britain’s energy security, a leading oil and gas company has said.

  • The Supreme Court rejects a nationwide opioid settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma

    The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a nationwide settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that would have shielded members of the Sackler family who own the company from civil lawsuits over the toll of opioids but also would have provided billions of dollars to combat the opioid epidemic. After deliberating more than six months, the justices in a 5-4 vote blocked an agreement hammered out with state and local governments and victims. Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the majority, said “nothing in present law authorizes the Sackler discharge.”

  • Nike shares tumble on tepid outlook as CEO eyes Olympics marketing win

    Nike reported higher profits due to cost-cutting efforts Thursday, but shares fell sharply on the company's tepid outlook despite a hoped-for boost from the upcoming Olympic Games.He also vowed an impressive marketing blitz at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. 

  • What Does It Take to Bring Stability to a Renewable-Focused Grid?

    As coal, gas, and nuclear plants are retired, and wind and solar resources are added to the power grid, stability can become a problem. Understanding the solutions that are available […]

  • Legal bills nearly double at Kamloops city hall

    Legal bills at city hall in Kamloops, B.C., have nearly doubled in two years, according to newly released financial documents.A statement of financial information (SOFI) report shows the city paid five law firms a total of $1.15 million in 2023, up from the $650,000 paid to two law firms in 2022. In 2021, the city paid $510,000 to law firms. In 2020, it paid $415,000The numbers don't include firms paid less than $25,000 and funds paid "in trust," which are typically reserved for real estate tran

  • Weymouth estates still waiting to be claimed

    According to the Public Notice Portal, these Dorset estates in the Weymouth area are still waiting to be claimed

  • Boeing wants you to feel safe on its planes. It's working to fix safety in its factories.

    In a tightly choreographed media open house of its Renton, Washington, manufacturing facility, Boeing said it’s facing its safety challenges head-on.

  • Volkswagen recalls more than 270k SUVs over airbag that may not deploy during a crash

    Volkswagen is issuing a recall on 271,330 vehicles due to concerns over the airbag not deploying during a crash, the NHTSA says.

  • How to tackle your medical debt

    A recent KFF report reveals that 41% of Americans are burdened with medical debt. Monique White, Self Financial financial expert and head of community, joins Wealth! to share valuable insights for addressing this widespread issue. White emphasizes the importance of taking a proactive approach to medical debt. She points out a key fact: hospitals typically have an 18-month window before they can report medical debt on your credit report, and they are prohibited from reporting any amount less than $500. To tackle medical debt effectively, White outlines three key strategies. She advises thoroughly reviewing your medical bills for accuracy, reaching out to healthcare providers to establish manageable payment plans, and educating yourself about your rights regarding medical debt. By following these steps, individuals can better navigate and potentially reduce their medical debt burden. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Angel Smith