{"text":[[{"start":9.5,"text":"Elon Musk has tried to “tie OpenAI in knots” in a years-long legal case after failing to gain control of the AI lab in its early days, the start-up’s lawyers said on Thursday as they closed the high-stakes trial."}],[{"start":23.6,"text":"The world’s richest man, who helped launch OpenAI in 2015, claims the ChatGPT maker and co-founders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman breached their contract with him by converting from a non-profit research lab to a for-profit entity."}],[{"start":38.75,"text":"OpenAI has countered that no such contract existed, that the case was brought too late and that Musk was vocally supportive of a for-profit structure, provided he remained in charge. "}],[{"start":49,"text":"The start-up’s lawyer Sarah Eddy told the jury: “Mr Musk has tried to persuade you that his years-ago donations to OpenAI came with strings attached, strong enough to last for ever, to tie OpenAI in knots as it pursued its mission.”"}],[{"start":64.3,"text":"Musk wanted to wrestle control of OpenAI from the company’s other co-founders and, when he could not, “picked up his marbles [and] went home declaring OpenAI has 0 per cent chance of success”, Eddy added. “There are no real claims here.” "}],[{"start":77.25,"text":"After three weeks of testimony from tech industry heavyweights including Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella, lawyers on Thursday presented closing arguments to an Oakland, California jury that is expected to begin deliberations."}],[{"start":91.2,"text":"Their decision could clear OpenAI’s path to a blockbuster initial public offering this year, or throw the start-up’s legal structure — and the fate of its CEO Altman — into doubt."}],[{"start":103,"text":"Musk’s lawyer Steven Molo has tried to put questions about Altman’s honesty at the heart of the case."}],[{"start":110.4,"text":"“People who have worked with him called him a liar under oath, that’s a very powerful word,” said Molo, highlighting statements from five witnesses who had worked with OpenAI’s CEO."}],[{"start":121.4,"text":"“I want you to understand: Sam Altman’s credibility is directly at issue in this case,” Molo said. “The defendants need you to believe him. If you cannot trust him, if you don’t believe him, they can’t win. It’s that simple.”"}],[{"start":136.05,"text":"Former OpenAI executives and board members have said Altman misled or undermined them at crucial moments during the AI lab’s 11-year path to become one of the most valuable start-ups in the world."}],[{"start":147.85000000000002,"text":"The board fired Altman in 2023 for being “not consistently candid”, though he was reinstated within a week. The event has come to be known inside OpenAI as “the blip”."}],[{"start":159.3,"text":"Altman and Brockman watched on impassively from the benches of the Oakland courthouse as Molo described how Brockman had racked up a $30bn equity stake in OpenAI and Altman had profited from his investments in companies that have done deals with OpenAI, including Helion, Cerebras and Reddit."}],[{"start":180.4,"text":"“You can’t have guys with $30bn and claim they’re entitled to that. You can’t have guys doing self-dealing . . . that’s not a non-profit,” Molo said. "}],[{"start":191.15,"text":"Musk was not in court on Thursday, having left for China on Wednesday aboard Air Force One. His lawyers claim he was not obliged to remain in the US, despite being a key witness in the case. "}],[{"start":202.5,"text":"“Thank you on behalf of my client Elon, who could not be here,” Molo told the jury. “He’s sorry he can’t be here.” "}],[{"start":217.5,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1778811719_3759.mp3"}