Elon Musk's Attempt to Recruit Sam Altman to Tesla's AI Lab Revealed in Court
Court documents reveal Elon Musk's 2017 efforts to recruit OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to lead a Tesla AI lab, as part of Musk's broader strategy to integrate OpenAI into Tesla.
Recent court proceedings have unveiled that in 2017, Elon Musk sought to recruit OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to lead a new AI division within Tesla. This initiative was part of Musk's broader strategy to integrate OpenAI into Tesla, aiming to establish a world-class AI lab to rival entities like Google DeepMind and Facebook AI Research.
Evidence presented includes emails and testimonies indicating that Musk offered Altman a seat on Tesla's board as an incentive. Shivon Zilis, a former OpenAI adviser and Tesla executive, testified that Musk's plans involved creating a subsidiary within Tesla to develop advanced AI technologies.
In a February 2018 text message, Zilis inquired of Altman, "Did you think through a B Corp subsidiary of Tesla?" Additionally, a draft FAQ for a Tesla event at the NeurIPS AI conference outlined the company's intention to build a leading AI lab, noting that when people think of Elon and AI, they think of OpenAI.
Despite these efforts, Altman did not join Tesla, and the proposed AI lab did not materialize. The court case continues to explore the dynamics between Musk and OpenAI's leadership, focusing on the company's transition from a nonprofit to a for-profit entity.
