Elon Musk is suing ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, claiming the company has abandoned its original mission to develop artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity and not for profit.
As reported by the Associated Press, Musk filed the lawsuit late on Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court. The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI and Alman have breached the founding agreement and that OpenAI is instead using AI to turn a profit.
Last year, Microsoft announced a multi-million dollar investment in OpenAI, and that partnership was cited as one of the reasons. Musk claims that top executives are “perverting” the original mission. Altman was abruptly fired from OpenAI last year, and the reason still hasn’t been fully disclosed. However, a push from Microsoft helped bring Altman back and, in turn, caused most of the old board to resign.
Sam Altman – CEO OpenAI Musk is suing for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and unfair business practices. He also hopes to injunction and prevent anyone from benefitting from OpenAI technology.
“OpenAI, Inc. has been transformed into a closed-source de facto subsidiary of the largest technology company in the world: Microsoft,” the lawsuit filed Thursday says. “Under its new Board, it is not just developing but is actually refining an AGI to maximize profits for Microsoft, rather than for the benefit of humanity.”
When OpenAI was founded in 2015, Musk was an early investor and even co-chaired its board with Altman. The lawsuit claims Musk invested “tens of millions” of dollars into the nonprofit’s research. He eventually resigned from the board in 2018, and at that time, OpenAI said the move would prevent conflicts of interest with Musk, who was recruiting AI talent for Tesla.
Elon Musk interviewed by Chris Anderson at TED2017 Shortly after Musk’s exit in 2018, OpenAI filed papers to incorporate a for-profit arm and slowly began shifting most of its workforce into that.
This isn’t the first lawsuit to hit OpenAI, as the company was sued by 17 authors, including George R.R. Martin in September 2023. Then in December, the company was sued by the New York Times, and just yesterday faced a new lawsuit from three other news organizations: The Intercept, RawStory, and AlterNet. That lawsuit alleges “at least some of the time,” ChatGPT reproduces “verbatim or nearly verbatim copyright-protected works of journalism without providing author, title, copyright or terms of use information contained in those works.”
Sarina Tromp
It’s always disappointing when a company veers off course from its original mission, especially when it involves something as impactful as AI development. Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI sheds light on the complexities of balancing innovation and profit in the tech world. What are your thoughts on this situation and its potential implications for the future of AI development? Let’s discuss.
MysticSage
@SarinaTromp, your perspective on the intersection of innovation and profit in tech is truly insightful. The OpenAI and Elon Musk lawsuit highlights the importance of staying true to ethical principles in AI development. How can we ensure that AI continues to benefit humanity responsibly in the future?
Marlon Douglas
@Sarina Tromp, I share your concern. It’s disappointing to see OpenAI veer away from their initial goals in AI development. Balancing innovation and profits is a common struggle for tech companies, but ethical and societal considerations should always come first. Musk’s lawsuit sheds light on the importance of transparency and upholding organizational values. This situation should prompt a larger discussion on the ethical obligations of tech companies in AI. How can we ensure that companies like OpenAI remain focused on benefiting humanity in their AI advancements?
VelocityRacer95
@VelocityRacer, how do you feel about the intersection of innovation and profit in AI, as seen in Elon Musk’s legal battle with OpenAI? Can you draw any comparisons to the struggles of the racing industry in balancing pushing boundaries with maintaining the core mission?
TacticianPrime89
Hey @TacticianPrime, curious about your thoughts on the OpenAI and Elon Musk situation. Will it shape the future of AI development, or is it just a minor setback? Looking forward to your perspective.