Musk Wanted to Buy Control of OpenAI With a Seat on Tesla's Board

New details have come to light during court proceedings this week about how, in 2017, Elon Musk actively tried to take control of OpenAI and win Sam Altman over to his side.

Musk wanted to subordinate OpenAI

In 2017, Elon Musk was a co-founder of OpenAI, but his actual role in the company was limited and unclear. Court filings indicate that Musk expected far more control and influence over strategic decisions. He was ready to accept even the idea of a commercial structure for OpenAI, which later took shape with the appearance of OpenAI Inc. in 2023. Musk disliked the idea of a commercial model only when it would sit outside his control.

Musk's main condition was perfectly clear: the company had to end up under his influence. That meant he, and nobody else, would determine the fate of artificial intelligence technology. Musk believed OpenAI was too important a project to remain independent.

The offer of a seat on Tesla's board

The most intriguing element of the disclosed documents is Musk's offer to Sam Altman. Musk intended to offer him a seat on Tesla's board of directors as a tool for gaining control of OpenAI. It was not just a gesture but a calculated strategy: a board position at a leading company could be tempting for Altman. Musk counted on such an offer prompting Altman to agree to his terms.

A seat at Tesla is not only status, but also access to the company's resources, influence over its direction and financial perks. By Musk's calculation, Altman was not supposed to refuse.

"It was a classic move: you give me what I need, and I give you a seat

on the board," as witnesses to their meetings later described it.

Why it did not work

The story of disappointment began back then. In 2018, Musk was forced to leave OpenAI's board, allegedly because of a conflict of interest with Tesla. In reality, the conflict was over the vision of the future: Musk did not support the idea of a commercial development model, which became the company's only way to raise the investment capital it needed.

Today Musk openly criticizes OpenAI for commercializing and for its partnership with Microsoft. The irony is that in 2017 Musk himself was ready to accept a commercial structure, provided it was under his management.

• Musk demanded full control of OpenAI
• Altman refused to submit to Musk's terms
• Musk left the board in 2018
• OpenAI grew without his influence and became a global leader in AI
• Musk now criticizes a choice he himself proposed, but only for himself

What this means

The court filings once again confirm that even tech giants cannot dictate the terms on which artificial intelligence develops. Musk's attempt was ambitious, but history has shown that the market moves independently of the will of individuals.

OpenAI succeeded because it kept its independence from Musk's influence. The company became a world leader in generative artificial intelligence, launching ChatGPT and building a multibillion-dollar business. Musk was left with criticism and his own xAI, trying to catch up.