Court documents filed on November 14 reveal that #ElonMusk played a key role in blocking #OpenAI 's proposed cryptocurrency plan in 2018. At the time, OpenAI was facing financial difficulties despite early investments, including Musk’s $44 million contribution. Co-founders #SamAltman and Greg Brockman proposed an initial coin offering (ICO) as a solution to secure funding, but Musk, who was co-chair of the board, strongly opposed the idea. He argued that a crypto venture would damage OpenAI's reputation and undermine its nonprofit mission.

Musk even suggested merging OpenAI with #Tesla to secure financial backing but eventually left OpenAI in early 2018 due to disagreements. His departure marked a turning point for OpenAI, which later shifted toward a for-profit model. The court filings come amid Musk’s ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI, where he alleges conspiracy and racketeering, with Microsoft also named as a defendant. This lawsuit signals a growing rift between Musk, OpenAI, and its partners.

Below are email exchanges between the partners.