OpenAI says a new court filing shows Elon Musk texted Greg Brockman two days before the Oakland trial began, asking about settling the case and then warning Brockman and Sam Altman about public backlash. Reuters, Forbes and TechCrunch all reported the filing, and TechCrunch said the judge excluded the exchange from evidence.
OpenAI says a new court filing shows Elon Musk reached out about settling the case before the Oakland trial began, then sent messages it now wants the court to see as evidence of his motives.
According to Reuters’ report on the filing, Musk texted Greg Brockman on April 25, 2026, two days before the trial started, to gauge whether both sides might drop their claims. The filing says Musk then warned Brockman and Sam Altman that they would be “the most hated men in America” if they insisted on pushing ahead.
Reuters said the trial began in Oakland on April 28. TechCrunch later reported that the judge ruled the exchange inadmissible, limiting its use in the case.
The filing has become part of a broader fight over the purpose of Musk’s lawsuit, which claims OpenAI abandoned its nonprofit mission as it evolved into a for-profit company. OpenAI has argued in public filings that Musk’s own motives are central to the dispute.
The latest development does not resolve the case, but it adds another sharp exchange to a lawsuit already shaped by questions of corporate control, AI strategy and the public narratives around both founders.
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