OpenAI, the renowned artificial intelligence company, has responded to Elon Musk’s recent lawsuit, countering his accusations and revealing historical emails that support their decision to create a for-profit unit. The company, known for its creation of ChatGPT, released a blogpost authored by its executives, including CEO Sam Altman, containing email correspondence with Musk. In these emails, Musk suggested merging OpenAI with Tesla and even proposed that it should serve as the electric carmaker’s “cash cow.”
OpenAI’s blogpost asserts that in 2017, both OpenAI and Musk agreed that the next step in their mission was to establish a for-profit entity. However, Musk’s lawsuit claims that OpenAI deviated from its original purpose by forming a for-profit unit and prioritizing financial gain over its commitment to advancing technology for the betterment of humanity.
Expressing disappointment in the situation, OpenAI stated, “We’re sad that it’s come to this with someone whom we’ve deeply admired – someone who inspired us to aim higher, then told us we would fail, started a competitor, and then sued us when we started making meaningful progress towards OpenAI’s mission without him.”
OpenAI intends to seek a court dismissal of Musk’s breach of contract claims, which were filed in a San Francisco court. The company explains that the idea of merging with Tesla arose after they decided to create a for-profit entity to generate capital for developing artificial general intelligence (AGI). AGI refers to a theoretical form of AI capable of performing tasks at or beyond human levels of intelligence.
According to OpenAI, Musk desired a majority of the equity, initial board control, and the position of chief executive at the company. However, the startup disagreed with this arrangement as it contradicted their mission of avoiding absolute control by any individual.
In his lawsuit, Musk alleges that he initially agreed with OpenAI’s co-founders, Altman and Greg Brockman, to work on AGI in a manner that would benefit humanity. He also claims to have urged OpenAI to announce a $1 billion funding commitment in 2015, despite Altman and Brockman’s original plan to raise only $100 million.
Musk’s lawsuit is the culmination of his long-standing opposition to OpenAI. The company has since become a prominent figure in generative AI, partly due to substantial funding from Microsoft. Musk himself founded his own AI startup, xAI, which was launched in July.
This legal dispute between OpenAI and Elon Musk highlights the complexities and challenges that arise when pursuing the development of advanced AI technologies. The clash between their differing visions and objectives underscores the importance of establishing clear agreements and maintaining alignment within organizations dedicated to pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence.
