Elon Musk contacted OpenAI President Greg Brockman to explore a possible settlement just two days before their high-stakes trial began in Oakland federal court, according to a new court filing, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

In the exchange, when Brockman suggested that both sides drop their claims, Musk allegedly responded, “By the end of this week, you and Sam will be the most hated men in America. If you insist, so it will be,” the filing released on Sunday stated.

The communication marks the latest escalation in a lawsuit that has already become increasingly combative inside the courtroom.

Musk, the SpaceX founder, testified on Thursday that he did not read the full fine print of a 2017 term sheet related to OpenAI’s transition from a nonprofit to a for-profit structure, saying he only reviewed its headline terms.

He is suing OpenAI, arguing that its shift to a for-profit model violated its original nonprofit mission of developing safe artificial intelligence for public benefit, and that its leadership improperly profited from his charitable contributions.

Musk is seeking leadership changes at OpenAI and $150 billion in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft, one of its major investors.

The trial, taking place before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California, began on April 28 and is expected to continue for several weeks, with a potential verdict by mid-May.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella are expected to testify later in the proceedings.

Musk, his legal team, and OpenAI did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev