--- title: "Sam Altman Accuses Elon Musk of Laughing at Memes During Important OpenAI Meetings" description: "Under oath, Altman alleged that Musk wanted everyone to look at memes with him — during a meeting about Tesla possibly absorbing OpenAI." date: "2026-05-14" modified: "2026-05-14" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison.md" url: "https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/altman-accuses-musk-laughing-at-memes-during-meetings" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "OpenAI" - "The Industrialists" - "xAI" tags: - "elon musk" - "lawsuits" - "sam altman" --- # Sam Altman Accuses Elon Musk of Laughing at Memes During Important OpenAI Meetings ![A stylized portrait of Elon Musk wearing a black cap with the word "DOGE" embroidered on it.]() *Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: Allison Robbert / AFP via Getty Images* OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took the stand yesterday in Musk v. Altman, the [chaotic](), [embarrassing](), and yet [deeply illuminating]() lawsuit — filed against Altman by Elon Musk, the world's richest man — that's been gripping Silicon Valley for the past few weeks. As expected, Altman's testimony, delivered under threat of perjury, was [fascinating]() for a [number of reasons](). Among them: the OpenAI CEO's allegation that, during important meetings, Musk has a habit of... making everyone look at memes on his phone. Per [*New York Times* tech reporter Mike Isaac](), Altman confirmed to the court that there was once a meeting to discuss Tesla, Musk's electric carmaker, possibly absorbing OpenAI. Which would've been a big deal, especially because this whole case is about Musk accusing Altman of turning OpenAI from a non-profit to a for-profit. During this seemingly very important meeting, however, Altman claimed that Musk held up talks by making everyone look at memes with him. There was a "LONG long period of time with Elon showing us memes on his phone," Altman told the court. According to Isaac, the court reporter then asked Altman to loudly repeat: "MEMES ON HIS PHONE." Though Altman's ability — or alleged lack thereof — to be "consistently candid" has been scrutinized by everyone from the [former OpenAI board]() to [Ronan Farrow](), this allegation sounds just about right for Musk's internet-addled brain. This is the guy who, as a 50-something father of more than a dozen kids, was [reply-guying]() to Hailey "[Hawk Tuah girl]()" Welch on X-formerly-Twitter, the platform he was [so obsessed with]() that he bought for a [mind-boggling price]() (though he did try to [wiggle out]() of the deal.) Last year, alongside a "Star Wars" meme, he [declared]() that "memes are the most information-dense form of communication." And [according to an image]() the centi-billionaire shared on X in 2022, the items on his personal nightstand included a replica of a gun from a videogame, a flintlock gun held in a case that also featured an image of George Washington crossing the Delaware, some kind of amulet, and a whole bunch of cans of caffeine-free can of Diet Coke. *This is the nightstand of a man who pauses meetings that could well have altered the course of tech history to make a room full of other adults watch as he scrolls through memes he likes.* https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1597165510595989504 Anyway, perfect stuff, guys. Our biggest takeaway from the trial so far? That HBO's "Silicon Valley" show was actually a documentary. **More on Musk v. Altman:** *[Under Threat of Perjury, OpenAI's Former CTO Is Admitting Some Very Interesting Stuff About Sam Altman]()* ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]() ## More - [Sam Altman Faces Nightmare Questions in Cross-Examination]() - [Elon Musk Sues OpenAI for Doing For-Profit AI, Which He’s Also Doing]() - [OpenAI Ridicules Elon Musk’s “Incoherent” Lawsuit]() - [Sam Altman Challenges Elon Musk Not to Engage in Corruption]() - [Former OpenAI Employee Rages Against Sam Altman: “Person of Low Integrity”]() - [CEO of OpenAI Says Elon Musk’s Mean Comments Have Hurt Him]() - [Elon Musk Says an OpenAI Whistleblower Was Murdered]() - [Under Threat of Perjury, OpenAI’s Former CTO Is Admitting Some Very Interesting Stuff About Sam Altman]()