OAKLAND, Calif. — During court proceedings on Monday, OpenAI president Greg Brockman revealed that his ownership interest in the artificial intelligence company has reached a value of approximately $30 billion.
Brockman, who serves as the chief deputy to CEO Sam Altman, made the revelation while providing testimony in a legal battle focused on how the company transformed from its 2015 origins as a nonprofit organization largely backed by Elon Musk into today’s profit-driven enterprise valued at $852 billion. The executive also stated he never put his own money into the company initially.
The massive valuation of Brockman’s holdings would place him among the world’s wealthiest individuals according to Forbes rankings, with riches similar to those of Melinda French Gates.
Musk’s legal challenge claims that Altman and Brockman betrayed him by abandoning the San Francisco-based company’s original purpose of serving as a responsible guardian of groundbreaking technology. The complaint argues they secretly pivoted toward profit generation without Musk’s knowledge.
Just before the trial commenced, OpenAI’s legal team attempted to introduce text messages Musk sent to Brockman two days prior to proceedings. Court documents indicate Musk initially reached out about potential settlement discussions.
However, when Brockman responded suggesting both parties should withdraw their legal claims, Musk reportedly replied with a threatening message: “By the end of this week, you and Sam will be the most hated men in America. If you insist, so it will be.”
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who is presiding over the case, rejected the text message exchange as admissible evidence.
