According to the lawsuit, when Musk started OpenAI with Altman and Brockman, they all agreed to develop AGI for the benefit of humanity and make its technology available freely through open-source licenses. However, after Musk’s departure, OpenAI allegedly changed its course and started working with Microsoft, essentially becoming a closed-source subsidiary focused on developing AGI for profits.
Musk has been vocal about the risks associated with advanced AI and claims that Altman shared the same concerns back in 2015. The lawsuit quotes Altman expressing his belief that superhuman machine intelligence (SMI) is a significant threat to humanity. In response to these concerns and Google’s closed pursuit of AGI for its own profits, Musk, Altman, and Brockman launched OpenAI as a counterbalance to develop advanced AI for the benefit of humanity.
The original founding agreement aimed to build AI systems as a non-profit and open-source the technology at every step to ensure transparency and eliminate safety considerations. The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI adhered to this agreement for a few years, including when it launched the GPT-3 model. However, in 2020, things started going off track when OpenAI partnered with Microsoft and exclusively licensed GPT-3 to the tech giant.
The lawsuit claims that in 2023, OpenAI released GPT-4, a model described as an early version of AGI, without sharing any details with the public. Musk alleges that this secrecy has been maintained for commercial considerations, not safety concerns. Furthermore, GPT-4 has been integrated with Microsoft’s paid Office suite, which goes beyond the scope of the 2020 deal that covered GPT-3.
The lawsuit also highlights the significant influence and investment that Microsoft has in OpenAI. In November 2023, Altman was fired from his position as CEO by the OpenAI board, which claimed he was not consistently candid. However, Musk alleges that this decision was influenced by Microsoft, and Altman was later reinstated while several board members were forced to resign. The new board members lack the expertise to make an independent determination of whether and when OpenAI has achieved AGI, according to Musk.
Musk’s lawsuit aims to compel OpenAI to adhere to the original founding agreement and refocus on developing AGI for the benefit of humanity rather than profits. This is not the first time Musk has criticized OpenAI for its alleged ties to Microsoft. He has previously called out the research lab for being under the control of a “ruthless corporate monopoly.”
In response to his concerns and the belief that he may be the only one capable of bringing safe and ethical AI into the world, Musk has launched his own AI venture called xAI. The company is focused on developing AI that seeks maximum truth and understanding of the universe. Musk believes that an AI with this focus is unlikely to pose a threat to humans.
Despite xAI still playing catch-up with OpenAI, it has already attracted AI experts from organizations like OpenAI, DeepMind, Google Research, Microsoft Research, Tesla, and the University of Toronto.
Musk’s legal action against OpenAI highlights the growing tensions and concerns surrounding the development of AGI. As AI continues to advance, it is crucial for companies and organizations to prioritize ethical considerations and ensure that AI technologies are developed for the benefit of humanity rather than solely for profit. The outcome of this lawsuit may have significant implications for the future of AI development and the responsibilities of those involved in the field.
