Elon Musk, co-founder of the artificial intelligence (AI) group, attempted in 2018 to recruit OpenAI’s founding team—including Sam Altman—to spearhead a new Tesla AI lab. This move came as OpenAI faced internal conflicts over its future direction and profitability.

Musk proposed appointing Altman to his carmaker's board or making OpenAI a subsidiary of Tesla, according to evidence presented in the ongoing legal battle between Musk and the creators of ChatGPT.

By late 2017, Musk had become disillusioned with OpenAI’s prospects, believing they lacked the focus necessary for success. In a message sent to adviser Shivon Zilis, he mused: ‘There is little chance of OpenAI being a successful force if I focus on TeslaAI.’

Zilis, an adviser and former board member, helped formulate plans for sharing that Tesla was developing a world-leading AI lab. This lab would rival giants like Google, DeepMind, and Facebook AI Research. One proposal involved bringing Altman to Tesla, while another suggested attracting Demis Hassabis, the founder of DeepMind.

These revelations hint at a complex web of ambition and rivalry in the rapidly evolving field of AI, as tech titans grapple with the future direction of this transformative technology.