The ongoing legal battle between Elon Musk and OpenAI has taken a new turn with the revelation of emails shedding light on the dispute. Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, recently filed a lawsuit against the organization, alleging a breach of their founding agreement.
According to Musk, OpenAI deviated from its original mission of developing artificial intelligence (AI) for the benefit of humanity, instead opting for a for-profit approach by partnering with Microsoft. OpenAI, on the other hand, contends that Musk supported the idea of a for-profit entity and even suggested a merger with Tesla.
The dispute centers around the divergence from OpenAI’s initial non-profit structure to a for-profit entity in 2017. The organization realized that a non-profit model wouldn’t provide the necessary financial support for the ambitious development of artificial general intelligence (AGI).
AGI refers to the concept of machines being able to perform tasks on par with human capabilities. OpenAI asserts that Elon Musk proposed merging with Tesla or gaining full control over the organization, a proposition they found incompatible with their mission.
Emails disclosed by OpenAI reveal Musk’s stance on the for-profit structure. In early February 2018, Musk forwarded an email suggesting that OpenAI should “attach to Tesla as its cash cow.” Musk commented that this approach was “exactly right,” emphasizing that Tesla was the only viable path to compete with major players like Google. OpenAI, however, resisted the idea of absolute control by any individual over the organization, leading to a breakdown in negotiations with Musk.
The emails also indicate Musk’s acknowledgement that OpenAI’s mission didn’t necessitate sharing all of its technologies, including AGI. In response to a 2016 email from Ilya Sutskever, one of OpenAI’s co-founders, suggesting a shift towards being less open as AI development progressed, Musk simply responded with a “Yup.”
Despite Musk’s claims of OpenAI deviating from its mission, the organization contends that it remained committed to its goal of ensuring that AI benefits all of humanity. The revelation of these emails challenges Musk’s allegations and provides insight into the disagreements that led to the current legal battle.
OpenAI’s co-founders, including Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, and Ilya Sutskever, expressed their disappointment in a blog post. They noted Musk’s early involvement and inspiration, but also highlighted his subsequent actions, such as starting a competitor and filing a lawsuit when OpenAI made significant progress without his direct involvement.
OpenAI further clarified that Musk had urged the organization to be more aggressive in fundraising. In 2015, Musk advocated for a $1 billion funding round, whereas Altman and Brockman initially planned for $100 million. However, Musk’s financial contributions to OpenAI total less than $45 million, according to the organization’s blog post.
The lawsuit, filed by Musk in California Superior Court in San Francisco, represents the culmination of his longstanding opposition to OpenAI. Since leaving the organization, Musk founded his own AI startup, xAI, last July. Legal experts suggest that Musk’s breach of contract allegations, based partially on emails exchanged with Altman, may face challenges in court.
Unending Elon Musk vs Sam Altman Battle
The rift between Sam Altman and Elon Musk has deepened since Musk’s departure from OpenAI, marked by public expressions of discontent and disagreements over the organization’s direction.
Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the trajectory the company has taken under Altman’s leadership, particularly after OpenAI secured substantial investments from Microsoft.
The feud may be rooted, in part, in Musk’s personality, as he has a history of engaging in public disputes with other tech magnates, such as Jeff Bezos and Larry Page. Musk’s falling-out with Page, a co-founder of Google, was exacerbated by Musk poaching Sutskever from Google. Altman acknowledged Musk’s distinctive style, describing it as one he would not personally adopt.
During an interview on the “On With Kara Swisher” podcast, Altman noted that Musk genuinely cares about ensuring a positive future with artificial general intelligence (AGI). This perspective aligns with Musk’s repeated warnings about the potential dangers of advanced AI to humanity. Despite their public disagreements, Altman emphasized Musk’s sincere commitment to the responsible development of AGI.
