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New Court Filing Shows Sam Altman Asked Shivon Zilis Whether to Praise Elon Musk

The disclosure appears in Musk's federal lawsuit over OpenAI's mission.

Overview

  • On February 9, 2023, Altman texted Zilis asking if he should post a complimentary message about Musk on X, according to a newly filed court document.
  • Less than a week later, Altman publicly praised Musk in a post on X, aligning with the private discussion reflected in the text.
  • Zilis’s communications, including the Altman message, were produced by her legal team and entered as Exhibit 35 in the case.
  • Court materials also detail earlier clashes between Musk and OpenAI leaders in 2016 and 2017, including Musk’s threat to stop funding without a firm nonprofit commitment.
  • The filings were submitted by Musk’s lawyers in the ongoing Northern District of California case alleging OpenAI abandoned its founding nonprofit mission.