Greg Brockman Defends $30B OpenAI Stake as Earned

Two days before the start of the Musk v. Altman trial, Elon Musk reached out to OpenAI cofounder Greg Brockman about the possibility of a settlement. When Brockman suggested both parties drop their legal claims, Musk fired back with a stark warning: “By the end of this week, you and Sam [Altman] will be the most hated men in America. If you insist, so be it.”

That message, which OpenAI’s legal team made public on Sunday and which Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers later barred from the jury’s consideration, reveals what may be Musk’s true aim in this courtroom battle. He appears intent not just on convincing jurors to strip Brockman and CEO Sam Altman of their leadership roles, but also on unearthing damaging information and tarnishing OpenAI’s reputation.

When Brockman took the witness stand on Monday, Musk’s attorney Steven Molo quickly zeroed in on his compensation. Brockman disclosed that his equity stake in OpenAI is currently valued at over $20 billion, potentially reaching $30 billion. Although he had initially pledged to donate $100,000 to OpenAI during its formation, he admitted that he never actually followed through.

Brockman has played a pivotal role at OpenAI since cofounding the company in 2015. In its early days, the startup operated out of his San Francisco apartment in the Mission District. Today, he is deeply involved in steering the company toward a few core products, including Codex. Over the past year, Brockman has also contributed millions to super PACs supporting AI initiatives and President Trump, explaining that this increased political engagement aligns with OpenAI’s founding mission to develop artificial general intelligence that benefits all of humanity.

During Monday’s proceedings, Molo attempted to paint a picture of Brockman and Altman as having effectively plundered OpenAI’s original nonprofit, which Musk had funded and helped create. In its early years, OpenAI assured investors and employees that its nonprofit mission took precedence over profit. Brockman testified that even today, his personal financial interests remain secondary to that mission.

When OpenAI established its for-profit arm in 2019, transferring assets from the nonprofit, Brockman said he received a substantial stake in the new entity. Early on, he had written in his personal journal about his financial ambitions, noting, “Financially what will take me to $1B?” On Monday, Molo pressed him repeatedly about how his wealth had far exceeded that original goal.

“Why not donate that $29 billion to the OpenAI nonprofit? Why didn’t you do that?” Molo asked. Brockman responded that he and his colleagues had poured “blood, sweat, and tears” into building the company after Musk had left. He also pointed out that OpenAI’s foundation holds a stake worth over $150 billion in the company, making it one of the wealthiest nonprofits in history. That figure is roughly five times Brockman’s own ownership interest. Overall, OpenAI employees collectively hold about 25 percent of shares, while the foundation controls 27 percent. Brockman testified that the nonprofit had received less than $150 million from donors, implying that Musk’s role was minor compared to the team that stayed and built the company.

Brockman’s stake could be worth significantly more than $30 billion if OpenAI goes public within the next two years. When asked whether the company is exploring an IPO, Brockman said he believes so.