The legal battle surrounding OpenAI is gradually evolving into the most iconic power and ideological struggle in the AI field of Silicon Valley. On May 8th, Beijing time, Musk's legal team officially responded to OpenAI's previous accusation that he was 'maliciously undermining the company' and filed a motion in federal court to dismiss the related charges.
Behind this legal game lies a complex web of personal grudges, differences in corporate governance philosophies, and the huge structural tension of the AI industry transitioning from 'non-profit ideals' to 'commercial hegemony.'
I. Musk's Counterattack: More Than Just Legal Strategy
Musk's lawyer Marc Toberoff explicitly stated in documents submitted to the court that OpenAI's claim that 'Musk is using media, legal, and social influence to undermine the company' is 'baseless' and emphasized that this lawsuit is essentially a 'silencing campaign' against Musk's reasonable questions.
Toberoff pointed out that OpenAI's latest announced governance adjustment—abandoning the transformation into a purely profit-driven entity and instead restructuring its profit-making division into a 'public benefit corporation'—'appears to be a concession, yet in reality, nothing has changed.' In his view, this is merely a 'facade project' by Altman and his team to maintain complete control over the company, with the core issues unresolved.
In other words, Musk has not withdrawn his doubts about the company due to OpenAI's 'reversal'; on the contrary, he is prepared to take the legal battle to a deeper level. Musk's goal is no longer just to 'regain the voice of the founders,' but to question whether OpenAI has completely shifted from its original mission of 'non-profit, serving humanity' to a 'capital-driven' direction.
II. From Cooperation to Falling Out: Altman and Musk's 'Brotherly Feud'
The catalyst for this storm can be traced back to the establishment of OpenAI in 2015. At that time, Musk, along with Altman and a group of top Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, founded OpenAI with the goal of developing safe, open, and beneficial artificial intelligence for all humanity.
However, by 2019, OpenAI signed a $10 billion strategic cooperation agreement with Microsoft, beginning its move towards 'commercialization.' The following year, Musk stepped down from the board. His departure was not merely a position adjustment but a complete ideological split.
Musk has consistently argued that AI development must be based on non-profit and open-source principles; otherwise, the risks will become uncontrollable. Altman, on the other hand, believes that in order to survive in the technological race, it is essential to leverage the power of capital for rapid expansion.
With ChatGPT becoming an overnight sensation and OpenAI's valuation surpassing $300 billion, this divergence has been fully exposed. Musk not only publicly criticized OpenAI for 'betraying its mission' but also founded his own AI company xAI in 2023, claiming to create 'a truly transparent AI that serves humanity.'
III. OpenAI's Counterclaim: Musk 'Suppressing Competitors'
In response to Musk's accusations, OpenAI filed a counterclaim against him in April, stating that Musk has not only continuously 'smeared' OpenAI in the media and on social platforms but also attempted to use legal means to delay the company's business and harm its relationships with partners and investors.
OpenAI's legal team even stated: 'Musk is using all means to attack OpenAI in order to clear obstacles for his own xAI.'
This accusation highlights the fierce competition in the AI commercial landscape—today, as generative AI has become a global investment hotspot with valuations easily reaching hundreds of billions, any strike against a leader could directly shake capital confidence.
IV. OpenAI's 'Commercialization Acceleration': Criticism and Growth Coexist
Interestingly, this legal battle over 'whether to betray the non-profit mission' has not affected OpenAI's acceleration on the path to commercialization.
Recently, OpenAI announced that it has received investment from SoftBank, reaching an astonishing valuation of $300 billion, and has partnered with the UK digital bank OakNorth to fully integrate GPT technology into banking operations—from generating loan agreements to automating audit processes.
This collaboration signifies that OpenAI's commercial footprint has infiltrated the traditional financial sector. The outside world generally believes that OpenAI is transforming from an 'AI technology developer' to an 'enterprise AI infrastructure provider.'
Yet, this transformation has led critics to question even more: Is OpenAI still an 'AI research institution for all humanity'? Musk's lawyer Toberoff stated that OpenAI's evolution from a non-profit organization to a commercial giant 'confirms his concerns'—the company is prioritizing capital over public interests.
V. A 'Systemic War' Beyond Personal Grudges
The conflict between Musk and OpenAI has transcended the personal grievances of two Silicon Valley stars. It is a microcosm of the future direction of the AI industry:
Should AI companies adhere to a non-profit nature or conform to commercialization trends?
Does control of AI belong to founders and developers, or to investors and capital?
How can AI companies balance their 'moral responsibility' to society amidst the profit-driven pursuit of capital?
From another perspective, this legal battle is also a painful transition that the global AI industry must undergo as it moves from the 'idealistic phase' to the 'commercial phase.' Issues of technology, governance, capital, ethics, and social responsibility cannot be resolved by a single ruling or statement.
VI. Insights for Investors: The Commercialization of AI Is Far from Over
Despite ongoing controversies surrounding OpenAI, the capital market's confidence in it has not diminished. Investments from SoftBank, a $300 billion valuation, and collaborations with financial institutions indicate that the market believes the 'ceiling' for AI commercialization is still very high.
From an investment perspective, this situation also releases a signal: **The AI race is shifting 'from pure technical competition to governance and ethical competition.'** The future 'winner' will depend not only on whose model runs faster but also on who can establish more robust trust in regulation, ethics, and governance.
Against this backdrop, for investors focused on the AI field, blockchain ecosystem, and Web3 technology, **utilizing AI research tools like Mlion.ai to track policy, governance, and capital dynamics in real-time will become a necessary means.** It is not only important to focus on the technology itself but also to understand the 'people, power, and capital' struggles behind the technology to gain true insights into trends.
Conclusion: This is a Triple Confrontation of Technology, Ethics, and Capital
The legal battle between Musk and OpenAI may not yield immediate results. However, it has already become one of the most iconic watershed events in the AI industry—balancing technology and morality, the conflict between business and mission, and the struggle between personal power and institutional control.
As AI continues to accelerate and capital continues to flow in, finding a balance between rapid commercialization and public responsibility will become a core issue that the entire AI ecosystem cannot avoid in the future.
Disclaimer: The above content is for informational sharing only and does not constitute any investment advice! Investment carries risks; please proceed with caution.