Musk Taps Entertainment Lawyer for Fresh OpenAI Lawsuit

Elon Musk has initiated a new legal battle against OpenAI, enlisting the services of Marc Toberoff, a lawyer renowned for his expertise in entertainment copyright disputes. This move comes after Musk withdrew a previous lawsuit and replaced his legal team.

The fresh lawsuit, filed on August 5, 2024, in San Francisco, targets OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman. It alleges that the company has breached contract terms by prioritizing profits over public welfare in its pursuit of artificial intelligence advancements. Similar to the earlier case withdrawn in June 2024, this lawsuit aims to nullify OpenAI's licensing agreement with Microsoft.

Toberoff, based in Malibu, California, has described the new case as significantly more substantial than its predecessor. His track record includes high-profile cases against major entertainment companies. In 2022, he represented the writers of the original "Predator" screenplay in a lawsuit against Disney's 20th Century Studios, which was eventually settled.

OpenAI, founded in 2015 as a non-profit organization, has refrained from commenting on the latest lawsuit. Instead, they referred to previously published emails indicating Musk's support for OpenAI's transition to a for-profit entity. This shift occurred in 2019, a year after Musk's departure from the organization.

Interestingly, Musk has since established xAI, a rival AI startup valued at $24 billion as of May 2024. This development adds another layer to the ongoing legal and business complexities surrounding artificial intelligence advancements.

The lawsuit reflects the evolving landscape of AI development and the tensions between profit-driven motives and public interest. It also highlights the intricate relationships between tech giants and their approach to emerging technologies.

"We have no comment on Musk's latest lawsuit, but we refer to previously published emails showing Musk had supported plans for OpenAI to form a for-profit entity."

This legal action is part of a broader pattern of Musk's engagement with various law firms for his companies, including Tesla and X (formerly Twitter). Recently, Musk employed the conservative Dhillon Law Group to sue an advertising alliance and several major companies over alleged advertising boycotts on X.

As the AI industry continues to evolve rapidly, this lawsuit may have far-reaching implications for the future of AI development and the balance between innovation and public responsibility.