Former Tech Chief Accuses Altman of Sowing ‘Chaos’, Distrust Among Executives

In the OpenAI trial, the former chief technology officer has testified in Elon Musk’s lawsuit that CEO Sam Altman fostered distrust among top executives as the company pressed ahead with the development and large-scale deployment of its powerful artificial intelligence systems.

“My concern was about Sam saying one thing to one person and completely the opposite to another person,” said Mira Murati, who briefly served as OpenAI’s chief executive after its board temporarily removed Altman in 2023. She said Altman was “creating chaos” and, at times, had been deceptive with her and others.

Murati’s recorded testimony was played in a federal court in Oakland, California, during the second week of the trial.

Musk, the world’s richest person, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in 2024, alleging that it improperly transitioned into a for-profit company, abandoned its charitable objectives, and should revert to a non-profit structure.

If successful, Musk could benefit by constraining the commercial ambitions of a rival to his own AI start-up xAI, which is now part of SpaceX.

The trial could have significant implications for OpenAI, one of the leading artificial intelligence firms, which has substantial influence over the development and deployment of advanced AI systems across schools, government agencies and businesses.

Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, is seeking $150 billion in damages from OpenAI and investor Microsoft, to be directed towards the company’s charitable arm.

Murati, who has since left OpenAI and co-founded her own AI start-up, said Altman allegedly set executives against one another and undermined her position as technology chief.

However, she added that she wanted him to remain as chief executive and had pressed board members for a fuller explanation for his removal in 2023.

“OpenAI was at catastrophic risk of falling apart,” Murati said. “I was concerned the company would completely blow up.”

Concerns Over ChatGPT Launch

Another former OpenAI official, former board member Shivon Zilis, pointed to internal tensions ahead of the high-profile launch of ChatGPT.

She said the board had “voiced extreme concern” about releasing ChatGPT “without any semblance of board communication.”

When asked whether she had raised concerns about Altman internally, Zilis said there had been “a couple of instances”.

Zilis now works for Musk’s Neuralink and is also the mother of four of his children.

Testimony from Musk, OpenAI president Greg Brockman and others has outlined a series of disputes among senior executives and founders over the company’s direction, rapid growth, and whether Musk—whose early funding was crucial to its launch—should have become chief executive.

The trial has also produced unexpected revelations. Musk, for instance, reportedly attempted to settle with Brockman days before proceedings began and at one point said he felt like “a fool” for continuing to fund OpenAI.

 

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