Elon Musk Files a Lawsuit Against OpenAI Over Mission Deviation
Elon Musk has initiated legal proceedings against OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, alleging a violation of the principles he endorsed when he contributed to its founding in 2015.
The lawsuit, which also targets OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, contends that the organisation has strayed from its original altruistic, open-source objectives. Instead of prioritising the advancement of humanity, as initially intended, OpenAI is accused of focusing on profit maximisation for its major investor, Microsoft.
Initially conceived to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) and operated as a nonprofit entity, OpenAI was established under conditions to which Musk, along with Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman, agreed. Musk’s involvement ceased three years later.
The legal action aims to compel OpenAI to adhere to its founding agreement and recommit to its mission of advancing AGI for the betterment of humanity rather than serving the personal interests of the defendants and Microsoft.
This lawsuit follows reports by the Wall Street Journal that US regulators are investigating OpenAI for potential investor deception amid internal upheaval in November 2023. The controversy involved Altman’s sudden removal from the board, followed by his subsequent reinstatement.
Microsoft’s deep involvement in the matter, including offers to recruit departing OpenAI staff, has raised concerns. Musk voiced apprehension about the situation on X (formerly Twitter).
The lawsuit underscores Microsoft’s increasing sway over OpenAI, particularly in the development and control of GPT-4, the latest AI model. Microsoft’s substantial investment in OpenAI since 2019, culminating in a multi-billion-dollar partnership, coincided with the launch of ChatGPT.
Regulators in the UK, EU, and US are scrutinising the Microsoft-OpenAI partnership. The lawsuit also alleges that OpenAI has withheld critical details about GPT-4’s design, primarily driven by commercial interests rather than safety considerations.
Musk’s own AI venture, xAI, launched Grok, a chatbot, in November 2023, in competition with ChatGPT. Musk’s legal team seeks, among other remedies, public disclosure of information regarding OpenAI’s AI developments.
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