Elon Musk, the renowned CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, once proposed merging OpenAI with Tesla or taking control of the entire AI enterprise. This reflected his ambitious vision of integrating advanced AI technology into Tesla’s groundbreaking automotive business. Amid ongoing legal disputes, these proposals—revealed through OpenAI’s blog—highlight intense debates that unfolded between 2015 and 2018. Musk’s pursuit of a leading role within OpenAI, including significant stock ownership, board leadership, and the CEO position, raised concerns within the organization about preserving its core mission under such centralized management.
Following a stalled merger dialogue, Musk envisioned OpenAI’s close association with Tesla as a strategic avenue for the automaker’s investment in AI, positioning it as a formidable counterpart to Google’s AI efforts. This period of negotiation, however, concluded without fruition, leading Musk to part ways with OpenAI. His lawsuit against the company in March 2024, alleging various breaches and unfair practices, particularly criticizes OpenAI’s partnership with Microsoft. OpenAI rebuffs these allegations, stressing their ongoing commitment to their mission and expressing regret over the dispute with Musk, once a key supporter.
