Inside the Deposition That Showed How OpenAI Nearly Destroyed Itself
The news revolves around the Musk v. Altman lawsuit, focusing on Elon Musk's claim that OpenAI deviated from its original nonprofit mission to become a for-profit entity linked to Microsoft. Key points include Ilya Sutskever's testimony, where he revealed governance missteps, ideological rifts, and a push to oust CEO Sam Altman. Sutskever's 52-page memo accusing Altman of deceptive practices and undermining colleagues played a central role. The crisis saw board politics, near-merger talks with Anthropic, and debates on whether destroying OpenAI could align with its mission. Sutskever also admitted relying on unverified allegations and misjudging employee loyalty, leading to organizational backlash.
Ilya Sutskever's Testimony in the Musk v. Altman Lawsuit
Ilya Sutskever, co-founder of OpenAI and a key figure behind ChatGPT, gave nearly 10 hours of videotaped testimony in the highly publicized Musk v. Altman lawsuit on October 1, 2023. Sutskever, infamous for voting to fire Sam Altman in November 2023, was under oath. A 365-page transcript of his testimony, released this week, paints a complex picture of governance failures and deep ideological conflict within OpenAI. The lawsuit focuses on Elon Musk's claim that OpenAI abandoned its nonprofit mission to serve commercial interests aligned with Microsoft, raising critical questions about the control and safe development of advanced AI models.
The 52-page Dossier Against Sam Altman
Sutskever prepared a 52-page memo with detailed allegations against Sam Altman, describing him as someone who consistently lied and undermined his executives. To prevent leaks, he used disappearing email technology while sharing it with independent board members. The memo partially exists in screenshots captured by OpenAI CTO Mira Murati. Sutskever testified: "The independent board members asked me to prepare it. And I was pretty careful." However, this document has not been fully disclosed during the lawsuit.
A Year-Long Game of Governance Politics
Sutskever admitted that he had been considering firing Altman for over a year, waiting for the right dynamics within the board. His strategy revolved around the understanding that a CEO controlling board composition becomes "functionally untouchable." Once departures on the board created an opportunity, Sutskever acted. This testimony highlights a long-term strategic maneuvering behind what appeared publicly as a cohesive leadership.
The Weekend OpenAI Almost Ceased to Exist
Following Altman’s firing, discussions arose about merging OpenAI with Anthropic, a competing AI company. According to Sutskever, Helen Toner, a former OpenAI board member, was a strong advocate for this merger. "If the merger had happened, OpenAI would have ceased to exist as an independent entity," Sutskever noted. Despite high tension and negotiation offers, Sutskever expressed strong dissatisfaction, stating: "I really did not want OpenAI to merge with Anthropic."
Divided Ideologies: Safety vs. Development
The internal crisis at OpenAI was deeply rooted in ideological divides. Helen Toner represented an ethos concerned with the existential danger of rapid AI development, viewing it as riskier than halting AI entirely. When executives warned the board that Altman’s firing could lead to OpenAI’s collapse, Toner controversially argued that such a scenario could "be consistent with OpenAI's safety mission." This stance, coupled with an impending employee revolt, underscores the philosophical discord within the organization.
Failures in Process and Workforce Miscalculation
Sutskever relied heavily on Mira Murati as his sole source of information, without verifying claims with other executives. In hindsight, he described this as a major oversight: "I fully believed the information that Mira was giving me... But I didn't know it firsthand." The board's decision-making process was rushed, exacerbated by its inexperience and detachment from organizational realities. Additionally, Sutskever misjudged employee loyalty, expecting indifference to Altman’s removal. The 700 out of 770 employees threatening to resign in protest surprised him deeply.