Policy & Regulation
Musk testifies on OpenAI origins and falling-out with Larry Page
Elon Musk testified that his co-founding of OpenAI was driven by a falling-out with Google’s Larry Page over AI safety, marking a shift in their once-close friendship.
On Tuesday, Elon Musk testified in his lawsuit against OpenAI, the artificial intelligence organization he co-founded. Musk stated that a core motivation for launching the venture in 2015 was a deep disagreement with Google co-founder Larry Page over AI safety—the field of research regarding the risks of artificial intelligence. According to Musk’s testimony, the falling-out centered on the potential for AI wiping out humanity. Musk claimed that when he raised these concerns, Page dismissed them as fine, allegedly calling Musk a speciest for being pro-human. Musk testified under oath that he found Page’s attitude toward the risks of the technology to be insane, marking the first time Musk has delivered this account under oath.
The testimony highlighted the collapse of a close personal relationship between the two technology leaders. Historically, the friendship was close enough that Musk frequently stayed at Page’s home in Palo Alto, and the pair was recognized on a 2016 list of business leaders. However, the relationship fractured in 2015 when Musk recruited Google AI researcher Ilya Sutskever to help launch OpenAI. The recruitment of Sutskever left Page feeling personally betrayed, leading him to cut off contact with Musk. While Musk has previously shared this narrative with biographer Walter Isaacson, his testimony on Tuesday represents his first sworn statement on the matter.
Musk used his testimony to advance his legal arguments regarding OpenAI, which he characterizes as a charity he claims was stolen from him. Despite the legal conflict and the years of silence from Page, Musk indicated a lingering desire to patch things up with his former friend. As recently as 2023, Musk, the co-founder of OpenAI, told tech podcaster Lex Fridman, “We were friends for a very long time.” Page has not commented on the testimony or the lawsuit.
Why it matters
Musk’s testimony provides a rare, sworn account of the personal and ideological rifts that shaped the early days of OpenAI, framing the company’s origins not just as a business venture, but as a reaction to Google’s approach to AI safety.