Musk wanted $80 billion to colonize Mars, OpenAI president testifies at trial

OpenAI President Sam Altman testified in a Delaware court that Elon Musk demanded $80 billion in funding to establish a Mars colony as a condition for his continued involvement with the artificial intelligence company. This revelation emerged during a trial concerning Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI, which he co-founded, accusing the company of deviating from its original mission and prioritizing profit over public benefit.

The testimony highlights the significant financial scale envisioned by Musk for his ambitious space exploration goals and sheds light on the early dynamics and financial expectations surrounding OpenAI's inception. Understanding Musk's funding demands and his views on OpenAI's trajectory is central to the legal dispute over the company's direction and governance.