Key Points:
- Former technology chief Mira Murati testified that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman created chaos among top company executives.
- Elon Musk sued OpenAI for $150 billion, claiming the company illegally abandoned its original nonprofit charity goals.
- Murati warned board members in 2023 that the entire company faced a massive risk of completely falling apart.
- Former board member Shivon Zilis claimed the board voiced extreme concern before the initial launch of ChatGPT.
A former high-ranking OpenAI executive delivered explosive testimony in federal court on Wednesday regarding the leadership of CEO Sam Altman. Mira Murati, the former technology chief who briefly served as acting CEO during Altman’s temporary firing in 2023, claimed Altman actively sowed deep distrust among top company executives. She stated that his management style caused severe internal problems just as the company was pushing to develop and release its powerful artificial intelligence software to the general public.
Murati did not appear in person during the second week of the federal trial in Oakland, California. Instead, lawyers played her previously recorded video testimony for the court. She told lawyers her biggest concern was Altman constantly telling one story to one executive while telling the exact opposite to someone else. She accused Altman of intentionally creating chaos in the workplace and noted he frequently acted deceptively with her and other key members of the leadership team.
The testimony arrived as part of a massive lawsuit filed by billionaire Elon Musk in 2024. Musk, who helped co-found OpenAI in its early days, sued the technology giant after it became a massive for-profit corporation. He argues the company illegally abandoned its original charitable goals to chase corporate money. Musk wants the judge to force OpenAI to revert to a simple nonprofit research lab.
If Musk wins this legal battle, he stands to benefit personally on a massive scale. By legally restricting OpenAI’s commercial ambitions, he would clear the market for his own artificial intelligence startup, xAI. Musk currently operates xAI as a direct competitor to OpenAI, housing the new business inside his larger SpaceX corporate structure.
Musk asked the federal judge to award a staggering $150 billion in total financial damages. He wants both OpenAI and its primary financial backer, Microsoft, to pay this massive penalty. Musk specifically requested that the court direct all settlement funds to OpenAI’s charitable arm, effectively draining the corporate bank accounts of his biggest rival.
The final verdict in this trial could drastically alter the entire future of the technology industry. As the world’s leading artificial intelligence firm, OpenAI wields significant influence over how advanced software develops and enters the real world. The company currently holds major contracts to deploy its artificial intelligence systems into public schools, government agencies, and massive global businesses.
During her recorded testimony, Murati explained how Altman constantly pitted executives against one another. She felt he actively worked to undermine her role as the company’s top technology chief. Murati recently left OpenAI completely to co-found her own artificial intelligence startup away from Altman’s influence.
Despite her harsh criticisms of Altman’s deceptive management style, Murati admitted she actually wanted him to remain as CEO during the massive leadership crisis in 2023. When the board of directors suddenly fired Altman, Murati pushed them to provide a fuller justification for the drastic move. She told the court she was worried the sudden firing put the entire company at catastrophic risk of falling apart and blowing up.
The trial also featured testimony from another former OpenAI official who painted a picture of deep internal turmoil. Shivon Zilis, a former board member at the company, testified about the chaotic weeks leading up to the blockbuster public release of ChatGPT. She claimed the board of directors expressed extreme concern because leadership decided to release the powerful chatbot without first providing basic communication to the board.
When lawyers asked whether she had ever raised formal concerns about Altman during her time at the company, Zilis confirmed that she had complained internally on a couple of specific occasions. However, Zilis holds very close personal and professional ties to the plaintiff in the case. She currently works directly for Musk at his brain-chip company, Neuralink, and is the mother of four of his children.
The trial continues to expose deep conflicts among the brilliant minds who originally founded the company. Previous testimony from Musk and current OpenAI President Greg Brockman outlined a long history of fierce arguments among senior executives. The founders constantly fought over how to manage corporate growth and whether Musk should take over as the permanent CEO, given his crucial early funding.
Court documents also revealed surprising behind-the-scenes drama leading up to the trial. Lawyers revealed that Musk actually attempted to settle the case privately with Brockman just days before the federal trial officially began. At one point in the legal filings, Musk admitted he felt like an absolute fool for continuing to write massive funding checks to OpenAI during its early days.
