Billionaire Elon Musk has demanded $134 million from OpenAI and Microsoft for “wrongful gains” the AI startup allegedly obtained due to his early support. This was reported by Reuters, citing court documents.
According to the entrepreneur, OpenAI received between $65.5 million and $109.4 million from him when he was one of the project’s founders in 2015. Musk’s investments in Microsoft ranged from $13.3 million to $25.1 million amid the corporation’s legal proceedings.
OpenAI described the lawsuit as “baseless” and part of a “harassment” campaign by the former co-founder.
Musk, who owns the competing project xAI, left the startup in 2018. He claims that OpenAI deviated from its original mission after transforming into a commercial entity.
The entrepreneur stated that his investments accounted for about 60% of the company’s seed round. The funding helped OpenAI hire key staff and secure major contracts in its early stages.
The estimated damages were calculated by Musk’s financial advisor, C. Paul Vazzan.
A jury trial is scheduled for April. OpenAI and Microsoft have already requested that jurors be shielded from the “fictitious, unverifiable, and implausible” arguments of the startup’s former donor. The companies also disputed Musk’s claimed damage figures, questioning the competence of his expertise.
In January, OpenAI launched the ChatGPT Health solution for health-related consultations. The initiative was supported by medical professionals, while competitors introduced alternatives.
