--- title: "Elon Musk’s Lawyers Claim He Doesn’t Use a Computer, Even Though There’s a Vast Amount of Evidence That He Does" description: "Amid Elon Musk's attempt to kneecap OpenAI, attorneys for the billionaire claim he doesn't use a computer." date: "2025-06-23" modified: "2025-06-23" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/elon-musk-lawyers-computer" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "elon musk" - "lawsuits" - "OpenAI" - "the digest" --- # Elon Musk’s Lawyers Claim He Doesn’t Use a Computer, Even Though There’s a Vast Amount of Evidence That He Does ![Amid Elon Musk's attempt to kneecap OpenAI, attorneys for the billionaire claim he doesn't use a computer.]() *\Image: Kevin Dietsch via Getty / Futurism\* ## Discovery Channel Amid Elon Musk's [attempt to kneecap OpenAI](), attorneys for the billionaire claim he doesn't use a computer — even though he obviously does, including the fact that he's posted about doing so multiple times in the recent past. As [flagged by *Wired*](), this bizarre legal gambit came in response to claims from OpenAI — which has [counter-sued Musk]() in the fiery legal battle — that the billionaire's attorneys are trying to "resist discovery." In a [letter to the Oakland judge]() presiding over the case, Musk's lawyer Jaymie Parkkinen accused OpenAI of lying when it claimed in a filing earlier this month that the billionaire's attorneys "do not plan to collect any documents" from him or xAI, his rival AI startup. Presented as counter-evidence was a demonstrable lie about Musk not using a computer. "Plaintiffs sent Defendants a letter informing them that Plaintiffs were conducting searches of Mr. Musk’s mobile phone, having searched his emails, and that Mr. Musk does not use a computer," the June 22 filing reads. ## Everything's Computer Several employees at X told *Wired* anonymously that despite his propensity to work via smartphone, they'd occasionally seen Musk using a laptop. But even without that sourcing, there's plenty of recent public evidence suggesting that the billionaire's attorneys are fibbing about him not using a computer. Just a few weeks ago, for instance, Musk tweeted that he was "[still using \[his\] ancient PC laptop]()" for [in-flight computer gaming](). Last February, he complained about being forced to sign up for Microsoft on his newly-purchased "PC laptop" because it required him "giving their AI access to my computer," and in December 2024, he even [posted a photo]() of said laptop. There are, as *Wired* reports, plenty of other instances of Musk tweeting about his computers. We could go on, but the real question is probably why Musk's lawyers are so eager not to provide their contents. **More on Musk lies:** [*Old Video Shows Elon Musk Saying That What Tesla's Launching This Month Wouldn't Count as Full Self-Driving*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()