Recently, OpenAI has filed a motion with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, requesting the judge to dismiss the lawsuit brought against the company by tech billionaire Elon Musk.
In the motion, OpenAI's attorneys argue that Musk's allegations lack legal basis and seem primarily aimed at gaining a competitive edge. Musk is a co-founder of OpenAI but left the company in 2018. Since then, tensions between him and the current CEO, Sam Altman, have escalated.
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Since March, Musk has filed multiple lawsuits against OpenAI, including claims of fraud and violation of the RICO Act. This motion was submitted in Oakland, California, where OpenAI emphasized that Musk's accusations are essentially harassment against the company. The motion states, "This lawsuit is part of Elon Musk's increasingly grandiose harassment campaign, intended to gain a competitive advantage for himself."
Musk's complaint alleges that OpenAI breached the contract and committed fraud and RICO violations. The RICO Act typically involves crimes such as fraud, bribery, extortion, or money laundering. OpenAI denies these allegations and asserts that Musk has provided no evidence to support his claims.
Additionally, Musk's lawsuit claims that there was once a "founding agreement" promising that OpenAI would adhere to open-source technology and non-commercial goals. However, OpenAI's lawyers question Musk's legal standing on this issue, arguing that he has no right to bring such charges. The motion mentions that under California law, only officials or directors of a non-profit organization, or individuals with an interest in its assets, have the right to sue the organization regarding fiduciary duties.
The motion also criticizes Musk's fraud allegations as an exaggerated version of his unreasonable contract claims. OpenAI states that Musk cannot identify any specific promises that have been breached, especially given the lack of evidence supporting his allegations of fraudulent intent.
In March, Musk sued OpenAI and Altman in the San Francisco Superior Court, claiming that the company had abandoned its original mission of developing AI for human benefit, instead prioritizing Microsoft's commercial interests. However, Musk withdrew the lawsuit in June, seemingly reconsidering his legal strategy, and refiled a new complaint in August, alleging that OpenAI misled him into funding an organization that later became a profit-driven company.
Key Points:
🌟 Musk's multiple lawsuits against OpenAI are termed "harassment" by OpenAI, which has applied for dismissal.
📉 OpenAI emphasizes that Musk's allegations lack evidence, calling them unrealistic claims.
⚖️ Musk once claimed that OpenAI did not follow the commitments of the founding agreement, but his legal right to make such allegations is being questioned.