Elon Musk fixation on Demis Hassabis revealed in trial
Updated
Updated · The Verge · May 5
Elon Musk fixation on Demis Hassabis revealed in trial
14 articles · Updated · The Verge · May 5
At the Musk v Altman trial, Greg Brockman testified Musk mentioned the Google DeepMind chief “many, many times” and asked at one dinner, “Is Demis Hassabis evil?”
Emails from 2016 to 2019 showed Musk saw DeepMind as far ahead, called OpenAI’s non-profit structure a mistake, and even considered folding OpenAI into Tesla to compete.
The exhibits also showed others around OpenAI shared alarm about Hassabis’s influence, underscoring how fear of Google shaped OpenAI’s early strategy and Musk’s eventual loss of confidence.
How might the Musk v. Altman trial reshape global AI safety strategies and the balance of power between OpenAI and DeepMind?
With AI labs fiercely competing for talent and secrecy, could the fear of an 'AGI dictatorship' become a self-fulfilling prophecy?
Elon Musk vs. OpenAI: The 2026 Lawsuit Exposing AI’s Deep Leadership Rift and the Battle for AGI Control
Overview
Elon Musk's deep fear of Google DeepMind's control over artificial general intelligence (AGI) sparked a decade-long rivalry that shaped the AI industry. After opposing Google's 2014 acquisition of DeepMind, Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 as a nonprofit to ensure open, safe AI development. However, OpenAI's later shift to a for-profit model and partnership with Microsoft led to internal conflicts, including Sam Altman's 2023 ousting and Musk's 2025 lawsuit accusing OpenAI of betraying its mission. The 2026 trial revealed Musk's intense involvement and his efforts to challenge OpenAI with his own AI, Grok. This clash highlights a broader industry shift from open collaboration to proprietary control amid rising safety and ethical concerns.