OpenAI co-founder and president Greg Brockman disclosed in a California courtroom Monday that his stake in the company is worth nearly $30 billion and confirmed financial arrangements with CEO Sam Altman that deepen questions about his independence. The revelations emerged during testimony in a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk, who co-founded OpenAI and alleges the organization betrayed its nonprofit mission by becoming a for-profit entity under Altman's leadership.

Brockman acknowledged he received a share in Altman's family office in 2017, then valued at $10 million, and holds equity in two Altman-backed startups: AI chipmaker Cerebras and fusion energy firm Helion Energy. Emails presented in court show Jared Birchall, head of Musk's family office, warned Musk at the time that the arrangement could make Brockman more loyal to Altman. Brockman denied the suggestion of compromised loyalty, saying he would not characterize it that way.

Musk's lawsuit accuses Altman and Brockman of unjust enrichment and breach of charitable trust, claiming they used his $38 million in donations and technical contributions to build a nonprofit before shifting to a for-profit model to enrich themselves. OpenAI counters that Musk sought control of the company, showed little concern for AI safety during his tenure, and is now advancing his own AI venture, xAI, which trails OpenAI in development and user adoption.

The trial, now in its second week, could reshape OpenAI's governance and legal standing. The court is expected to hear further testimony this week, with Musk potentially taking the stand as the case continues in California.