URGENT UPDATE: New court documents reveal that Anthropic explored a potential merger with OpenAI immediately following the shocking ousting of Sam Altman as CEO in November 2023. This development adds a new twist to the ongoing legal battle involving Altman, OpenAI, and billionaire Elon Musk.
In a recent deposition, Ilya Sutskever, co-founder of OpenAI, disclosed that discussions about the merger occurred shortly after Altman’s dismissal. The deposition took place in San Francisco last month as part of Musk’s lawsuit against Altman and OpenAI, which claims that Altman strayed from the company’s founding mission to keep AI technology safe and accessible.
During the intense 10-hour session, Sutskever revealed that Anthropic’s leadership, including CEO Dario Amodei, expressed enthusiasm about the merger. However, Sutskever himself was “very unhappy” about the idea, stating that he “really did not” want it to happen. He indicated that most board members were more supportive of the proposal, particularly then-board member Helen Toner, who was described as the “most supportive.”
Despite the initial excitement, the merger talks were brief and ultimately stalled due to practical challenges raised by Anthropic. Sutskever remarked, “My recollection is that there were some practical obstacles that Anthropic has raised, and so the proposal did not continue.” The specific obstacles remain unclear.
Altman, who co-founded OpenAI with Sutskever and Musk in 2015, was reinstated as CEO just days after his firing, which has since triggered a series of legal disputes. Musk’s lawsuit also accuses OpenAI and its major backer, Microsoft, of violating antitrust laws by discouraging investors from funding competing AI firms, including Musk’s own xAI.
In a counterclaim, OpenAI accused Musk of orchestrating a “years-long campaign of harassment.” The conflict has spilled into public view, with Musk and Altman recently exchanging barbs on social media. Musk criticized Altman, saying, “You stole a non-profit,” while Altman defended his leadership, claiming he revitalized the organization.
As this legal saga unfolds, Sutskever has been ordered to provide further testimony regarding his financial interests in OpenAI and the controversial internal memo concerning Altman’s ousting. The implications of these developments are significant, not only for OpenAI and Anthropic but also for the future of AI governance and competition.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story, as the rivalry between these tech giants continues to heat up.
