Elon Musk appeared more petty than prepared
Elon Musk's opening testimony in Musk v. Altman was marked by self-promotion and a lack of focus, with little emphasis on the core issues of the case. He portrayed himself as the founding force behind OpenAI, emphasizing his early involvement and funding. However, his demeanor came across as petulant and unfocused, undermining his credibility as a witness.
- ▪Elon Musk testified that he conceived the idea for OpenAI, chose its name, recruited key personnel, and provided initial funding.
- ▪He claimed his motivation for founding OpenAI was concern over Google's dominance in AI and a conversation with Larry Page about AI safety.
- ▪Musk stated that after recruiting Ilya Sutskever from Google, Larry Page refused to speak to him again.
- ▪He emphasized working 80 to 100 hours per week but offered limited details on his actual contributions to OpenAI's mission.
- ▪The courtroom responded with silence or minimal laughter to Musk's attempts at humor, and he appeared less charismatic than in previous public appearances.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
AICloseAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AITechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechElon MuskCloseElon MuskPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Elon MuskElon Musk appeared more petty than preparedIn his opening testimony against Sam Altman, Musk was unfocused and uncharming.by Elizabeth LopattoCloseElizabeth LopattoSenior ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Elizabeth LopattoApr 28, 2026, 11:17 PM UTCLinkShareGift Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesAICloseAIPosts from this…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Verge.