The staggering valuation of Greg Brockman’s equity, disclosed under oath in a federal courtroom in Oakland, California, provided a dramatic moment in the trial between Elon Musk and the leaders of the company he helped found. Brockman, who serves as president of OpenAI, said he had not invested any personal funds in the startup, yet his stake is now worth roughly $30 billion — a figure that would put him on par with philanthropist Melinda French Gates on the Forbes list of billionaires.
The testimony came in the civil lawsuit Musk filed against OpenAI, CEO Sam Altman, and Brockman. Musk, an early funder of the company at its 2015 founding, alleges that the two executives breached their fiduciary duties and abandoned OpenAI’s original mission as a nonprofit research lab dedicated to developing artificial intelligence for the public good. The suit contends that Altman and Brockman secretly transformed the organization into a for-profit venture now valued at $852 billion, enriching themselves while sidelining Musk.
Brockman’s disclosure that he personally invested no money underscores the magnitude of the equity he accumulated as the company evolved. His stake, which he said is worth nearly $30 billion, would place him among the wealthiest individuals globally, comparable to Melinda French Gates. The testimony did not specify the exact percentage of the company Brockman holds.
The trial also surfaced a contentious exchange of text messages between Musk and Brockman just two days before proceedings began. OpenAI’s lawyers attempted to introduce the exchange as evidence, according to a court filing. The filing, which did not include the full text, stated that Musk messaged Brockman to gauge interest in settling the lawsuit. When Brockman replied that both sides should drop their respective claims, Musk responded with a threat: “By the end of this week, you and Sam will be the most hated men in America. If you insist, so it will be.”
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who is presiding over the case, did not admit the text exchange into evidence. The trial is ongoing, with further testimony expected to shed light on the origins of OpenAI’s corporate structure and the conduct of its leaders.