Shivon Zilis, a Tesla executive and mother of four children with Elon Musk, testified in OpenAI's ongoing trial that Musk offered Sam Altman a seat on Tesla's board in exchange for closer integration between OpenAI and the automaker. Zilis, who previously served on OpenAI's board, provided testimony describing Musk's strategic intent to align the AI company with Tesla's operations.
The testimony centers on Musk's effort to exert influence over OpenAI's direction during a period when he remained one of the startup's largest stakeholders despite his 2018 departure from the board. Zilis characterized Musk's board offer to Altman as part of a broader campaign to reshape OpenAI's trajectory and bring its capabilities under Tesla's umbrella.
This trial stems from Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI, filed in February 2024, alleging the company abandoned its original non-profit mission and transformed into a closed-source, for-profit entity controlled by Microsoft. Musk claimed that OpenAI violated its founding charter and that his 2018 exit from the board was forced.
Zilis's testimony carries weight because she witnessed internal discussions about Musk's intentions firsthand. Her account reveals the depth of Musk's ambitions to leverage OpenAI's technology for Tesla's autonomous vehicle development and other AI-related projects. The board seat offer suggests Musk viewed direct corporate leverage as essential to achieving his goals with the startup.
The trial has exposed rifts between Musk and Altman over OpenAI's governance and commercialization strategy. Altman has dismissed Musk's claims, arguing the company evolved appropriately as AI technology advanced and external funding became necessary. The dispute hinges on competing interpretations of OpenAI's founding agreements and mission statements.