AGI Definition Hits Court as Zilis Reopens Musk’s Control Fight
Thursday, May 7, 2026 · 10 min
The trial’s second week turned on documents and testimony: Microsoft and OpenAI’s 2019 AGI definition entered the record, while Shivon Zilis’s testimony sharpened the dispute over whether Musk wanted OpenAI’s mission preserved or its governance brought under his control.
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The trial’s second week turned on documents and testimony: Microsoft and OpenAI’s 2019 AGI definition entered the record, while Shivon Zilis’s testimony sharpened the dispute over whether Musk wanted OpenAI’s mission preserved or its governance brought under his control.
In this episode
- Microsoft and OpenAI’s definition of AGI was just revealed. | The Verge — The Verge
Microsoft and OpenAI’s definition of AGI was just revealed. | The Verge The homepageThe Verge logo. The homepageThe Verge logo. LIVELive updates from Elon Musk and Sam Altman’s court battle over the future of OpenAISee all Stories Posted May 6, 2026 at 3:11 PM UTC H Microsoft and OpenAI’s definition of AGI was just revealed. The two companies’ famed 2019 contract was made public as part of…
“could just be less dramatic than it sounds “AGI” was always kinda undefined, tying a contract to it is messy switching to a date might just be making things practical, not a signal about timelines” — r/OpenAI (81 upvotes)
Our take: We mostly buy this: contracts hate metaphysical trigger words, and swapping an AGI clause for a date can be plain risk management. But in this trial, even a practical cleanup becomes evidence people will argue over.
“The definition of word "AGI" in this context is quite simple "product that is able to make 1 000 000 000 $ revenue".” — r/OpenAI (15 upvotes)
Our take: That is a brutal Silicon Valley translation: when the philosophy gets expensive, the metric becomes revenue. We’d still separate the actual contract language from the business incentive, but the joke lands because the incentives are exactly what the lawsuit is fighting about.
“the AGI-already claim is the wildest part, current models still flub basic spatial reasoning and long-horizon planning, calling that AGI just to void a license is a stretch even for musk's legal team” — r/OpenAI (12 upvotes)
Our take: That’s the technical pressure point: if “AGI” becomes a litigation lever, the jury has to map today’s uneven model capabilities onto a contract written before ChatGPT. We’re skeptical of declaring AGI by lawsuit.
- OpenAI trial: Shivon Zilis says Musk offered Altman a Tesla board seat — CNBC
OpenAI trial: Shivon Zilis says Musk offered Altman a Tesla board seat Key Points - The Musk v. Altman trial will conclude its second week of proceedings on Thursday. - Shivon Zilis, a former OpenAI board member who has four children with Musk, testified. - Zilis said OpenAI's corporate structure was debated "ad nauseam," including several different for-profit options. Shivon Zilis, former…
- Elon Musk tried to hire OpenAI founders to start AI unit inside Tesla - Ars Technica — The Financial Times
These were among the options explored by OpenAI’s founders as they weighed the best structure to enable the company to raise enough capital to take on Google while retaining its non-profit mission. Ultimately, OpenAI’s executives were not persuaded by Musk’s proposals. Zilis told Musk’s then-chief of staff Sam Teller in a February 2018 email: “They all think Elon is an incredible human being but…
- OpenAI president discloses his $30b stake in the company | Business | Jamaica Gleaner — Jamaica Gleaner
OpenAI president discloses his $30b stake in the company | Business | Jamaica Gleaner Loading article... Greg Brockman, OpenAI's president and Chief Executive Sam Altman's top lieutenant, disclosed in court on Monday that his stake in the artificial intelligence company is worth nearly US$30 billion. Brockman, who also said he did not personally invest any money in OpenAI, was testifying on…
- In 'Musk v Altman', this judge will make the final call - AOL — AOL
In 'Musk v Altman', this judge will make the final call - AOL Thu, May 7, 2026 at 3:47 AM UTC 0 Gonzalez Rogers told Musk: "Let's remind everyone in the courtroom that you are not a lawyer." As the world's richest man, with a net-worth of over three-quarters of a trillion dollars, Elon Musk's resources and connections often make it easy for him bend Silicon Valley to his will. But that's not…