Greg Brockman Defends $30B OpenAI Stake: ‘Blood, Sweat, and Tears’

Greg Brockman, OpenAI's cofounder and president, took the stand Monday in the Musk v. Altman trial, defending his personal wealth accumulation amid accusations of looting the nonprofit. Musk's attorney Steven Molo revealed Brockman's equity stake is now worth between $20 billion and $30 billion — far exceeding Brockman's earlier personal goal of $1 billion. Molo pressed him on why he didn't donate the vast majority to OpenAI's nonprofit, asking if that made him 'morally bankrupt.' Brockman shot back that he and others poured 'blood, sweat, and tears' into building OpenAI after Musk left, and that the nonprofit itself holds over $150 billion in company shares — roughly five times his own stake. He also testified that the nonprofit received less than $150 million from donors, minimizing Musk's role.

Earlier, the court heard that Musk sent Brockman a threatening message two days before trial: 'By the end of this week, you and Sam will be the most hated men in America.' The judge refused to let the jury hear that. Brockman also revealed that he was initially compensated with a $10 million stake in Altman's family office, which was disclosed to Musk in 2017. When asked about an IPO, Brockman said he believed OpenAI was exploring one, which could further inflate his stake. The trial continues to expose deep rifts among OpenAI's founders, with Musk aiming to remove Brockman and Altman from power while damaging the company's public image.