OpenAI accuses Musk’s xAI of destroying evidence in escalating lawsuit

Core Viewpoint - A legal dispute is escalating between OpenAI and Elon Musk's xAI, focusing on the use of "ephemeral" messaging apps to potentially hide sensitive information relevant to an antitrust case [2][4]. Group 1: Legal Allegations - OpenAI has filed a motion in the Northern District of California, alleging that Musk and xAI engaged in the systematic destruction of evidence by using disappearing messaging apps like Signal [2][4]. - The lawsuit claims that xAI executives were instructed to communicate exclusively via Signal, with messages set to auto-delete within one week or less, which OpenAI argues undermines the integrity of the legal process [5][6]. - OpenAI is requesting that the judge consider the deletion of these messages as "spoliation" of evidence, which could lead to an adverse inference against Musk's case [6]. Group 2: Background on Musk's Practices - Musk has been described as a "serial litigant," with a history of courts criticizing him for failing to maintain evidence in previous legal matters [6]. - A Delaware court previously noted that Musk's custodians allowed for the automatic deletion of messages during the acquisition of Twitter, highlighting a pattern of behavior regarding evidence preservation [7].