u/ErnestoLemmingway

Elon certainly got a stupendous return on his investment in Trump though. I so hope they end up together in Dante's innermost circle.

Noted for headline only. I would paraphrase Henny Youngman here, but that would date me.

As a shareholder, I hope he's looking elsewhere.

Brockman described a particularly intense meeting in which Musk said he deserved a majority stake in OpenAI because of his business experience. Musk said he intended to use that stake to build a self-sustaining city on Mars, according ​to Brockman.

"He said he needed $80 billion to create a city" on Mars, Brockman said. "In the end, he needed full control." Brockman added that Musk said he ​would decide when to relinquish full control.

[ Elon would decide to relinquish full control somewhere around the 1st of never, which is also about the right timeline for his self-sustaining city on Mars. ]

Elon's head seems to be occupied by many rent-free livers. Ketamine may be the only escape available.

I think Elon vastly underestimates his own hateability here, and vastly overestimates his persuasiveness as a witness. All very true to Elon form though.

May 4 (Reuters) - Elon Musk contacted OpenAI President Greg Brockman to gauge interest in a settlement ​two days before their high-stakes trial got underway in ‌Oakland federal court, according to a new court filing.

When Brockman suggested both sides drop their claims, Musk allegedly said, "By the end of this ​week, you and Sam will be the most hated ​men in America. If you insist, so it will ⁠be," the filing, made on Sunday, stated.

After Musk on Thursday accused OpenAI’s lead attorney of asking a leading question, Gonzalez Rogers interrupted the billionaire and asked him to repeat four words after her: “I’m not a lawyer,” Musk said obediently, then added: “I did take law 101, technically.” Several members of the public sitting in court burst out laughing.

(from WaPo, https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/05/02/musk-altman-openai-trial/ )

What is unfolding in the Oakland courtroom is less a trial about a nonprofit's mission and more an attempt at humiliation underwritten by the wealthiest man in the world, who is more chips than shoulder. He's somebody who knows the power of public perception. He's a lot like his old boss in the White House in that regard. Both men are keenly attuned to (and wield immense power over) digital and public media. Musk is one of the few people wealthy enough to casually throw this kind of money after a grievance.

Plus, there's a reason he's focusing his ire on Altman. OpenAl represents something that Musk has rarely had to contend with: a success story that outgrew him. Not only did the company continue after he left, but it flourished. Its flagship product, ChatGPT, has become shorthand for A.l. itself. It's the kind of cultural and commercial breakthrough that we haven't seen since the iPhone-and it happened largely without him. For a figure who is synonymous with the industries he touches-spaceflight, electric cars, social media-OpenAl's rise and dominance carry an uncomfortable implication: One of the most consequential technological shifts of our time can happen beyond his reach-and without his name and face attached to it. No wonder he's trying to hang on.

Elon now being cross examined, after what seems to have been a fairly dull direct, leading to some entertainment.

Musk has stepped back to the stand for cross-examination by OpenAI’s legal team.

The company’s lead counsel, William Savitt, began his questioning by showing Musk a social media post he made last month.

“Tesla will be one of the companies to make AGI,” Musk had posted, referring to artificial general intelligence, or a machine that can do anything the human brain can.

Musk previously testified that Tesla, the electric vehicle maker he leads, was not pursuing A.G.I.

Savitt continued his line of questioning, raising questions about Musk’s trustworthiness. Musk said earlier today that he donated $38 million in total to OpenAI. Savitt pointed out that Musk said under oath in an earlier deposition that he had donated a total of $100 million. Musk has started to become combative.

Musk has grown increasingly annoyed at Savitt’s prodding. “You’re being misleading,” Musk said of Savitt’s questioning.

In another retort, Musk said: “The classic answer to a yes-or-no question is not so simple. For example, if you ask the question ‘Will you stop beating your wife?'” The judge cut him off. “No, we’re not gonna go there.” The entire gallery laughed.

The direct examination is a way of telling a story through questions; it’s important to make the narrative clear. For a suit that accuses Sam Altman of straying from OpenAI’s mission, Musk spent a weird amount of time talking about himself, recounting his biography, and hyping up the various ventures he’s undertaken that have nothing to do with OpenAI.

For instance, he told jurors that he worked between “80 to 100 hours a week,” which was how he got so much done. It is unclear to me whether his prolific posting habits count as part of the workweek. I hope the defense asks. ...

At another point, Musk was asked to explain who former OpenAI board member Shivon Zilis was. “Shivon was the, um, my chief of staff and, uh, you know,” Musk said. One person in the gallery — presumably familiar with the fact that Zilis is the mother of a few of Musk’s kids — burst out in loud laughter. But the jury looked puzzled.

Maybe because of all the court cases piling up. Demure but youthful. Still somewhat of a relief from the normal white supremacy and racist fearmongering though.

Lest we forget, we don't have to imagine what Elon did with his DOGE chainsaw when he got political power:

https://healthpolicy-watch.news/the-human-cost-one-year-after-the-us-took-a-chainsaw-to-global-health/