Editorial illustration for Musk says he was duped, warns AI could kill us, xAI to IPO via SpaceX in June
Musk says he was duped, warns AI could kill us, xAI to...
Elon Musk built an empire selling the future. Now he’s in court selling a story about being its victim.
During the first week of his legal battle with OpenAI, Musk testified that its leaders, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, tricked him into funding the company. He described an original mission to build safe artificial intelligence for the public good, a mission he claims was abandoned for profit. The argument is familiar.
The setting was not. A billionaire in a black suit, pointing across a courtroom at former allies, reframing his own role from co-founder to dupe.
Then he issued the warning. The technology he helped start could end humanity. He said this calmly. The real shock came later.
The outcome of the trial could upend OpenAI’s race toward an IPO at a valuation approaching $1 trillion. Meanwhile, xAI is expected to go public as a part of Musk’s rocket company SpaceX as early as June, at a target valuation of $1.75 trillion . This week’s testimony revolved around a central question of the trial: why Musk is suing OpenAI.
His own company, xAI, uses OpenAI’s technology to train its chatbot, Grok. The admission drew gasps. It also revealed the core contradiction of the spectacle.
Musk is simultaneously the plaintiff, the prophet of doom, and a direct competitor who built his product with the very tools he calls dangerous. He reportedly poached OpenAI staff. And he plans to take xAI public as soon as June, possibly through a backdoor listing with SpaceX.
So the man warning of an existential threat is also racing to IPO his own version of it. The trial is about broken contracts and stolen ideas. The broader picture is about incentives. It shows a field where even the loudest critic remains a fully invested player, betting on the very thing he claims might ruin us all.
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Common Questions Answered
What is Elon Musk's main claim against OpenAI in his legal battle?
Musk testified that OpenAI's leaders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman tricked him into funding the company by promising to build safe artificial intelligence for the public good. He claims the company abandoned this original mission in pursuit of profit, which is the core basis of his lawsuit.
How does xAI's Grok chatbot relate to OpenAI's technology?
Musk's company xAI uses OpenAI's technology to train its chatbot Grok, which created a significant contradiction during the trial. This admission highlighted the irony that Musk is using the very tools he claims are dangerous while simultaneously warning of AI as an existential threat.
What are Musk's plans for xAI's IPO and how does it involve SpaceX?
Musk plans to take xAI public as soon as June through a possible backdoor listing with SpaceX. This approach would allow the AI company to go public through an alternative route rather than a traditional initial public offering.
What contradiction does the article highlight about Musk's position on AI?
Musk simultaneously serves as the plaintiff suing OpenAI, a prophet warning that AI could kill us, and a direct competitor who built his xAI product using OpenAI's technology. Additionally, he poached OpenAI staff while warning of existential AI threats, revealing a fundamental contradiction in his stance.
Further Reading
- SpaceX warns about this xAI 'problem' before IPO; risk filing says Grok's content may lead company to lose access to — Times of India
- 'I literally was a fool': Musk grilled in OpenAI trial — ABS-CBN
- Elon Musk's SpaceX Warns Of Market Bans As xAI Faces ... — Benzinga
- SpaceX Warns Probes Into xAI Could Limit Market Access — MIT Sloan Middle East
