In a court filing tied to his lawsuit against OpenAI, Elon Musk’s legal team made an unusual claim. They said Musk does not use a computer. This statement arrives despite years of public posts showing him with a laptop, talking about his setup, and even streaming games.
This might sound like a minor legal detail. But look closer and the timing becomes more important. The lawsuit itself centers on OpenAI’s supposed shift away from serving the public toward serving corporate interests. Musk argues they broke their original promise and bent toward profit. Now he says he does not use a computer, just as OpenAI pushes for access to communications.
If Musk does not use a computer, that could limit what evidence his team needs to turn over. It raises a quiet but sharp question. What becomes invisible when someone claims they simply do not interact with digital tools? Who gets to avoid digital paper trails in high stakes legal battles?
Observers have seen Musk using a laptop many times. He has posted about it directly. Yet in a courtroom, words matter differently. Saying he avoids computers might not be about fact. It might be about control. Control over which records exist. Control over how stories are told. Control over what gets exposed and what stays behind the curtain.
This is not really about keyboards or screens. It is about power. Power to dodge accountability. Power to shape narrative. And power to remind the public that in tech, influence often comes not just from what is created but also from what is denied.
Just for context
“Loneliness is a prerequisite for freedom. Freedom depends on the ability to reflect, and reflection can only begin when one is alone.” - Gao Xingjian