Microsoft Corporation MSFT CEO Satya Nadella disputes Elon Musk’s claim that the tech giant controls OpenAI, saying that the AI research firm is independent and operates on its own.
What Happened: On Tuesday, in an interview with CNBC’s Andrew Sorkin, Nadella denied Musk’s claims that Microsoft has control over its partner OpenAI, saying that such statements are “factually not correct.”
“Look, while I have a lot of respect for Elon and all that he does, I’d just say that’s factually not correct,” Nadella said.
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The Microsoft’s CEO stated, “OpenAI is very grounded in their mission of being controlled by a nonprofit board. We have a non-controlling interest in it. We have a great commercial partnership in it.”
Nadella also acknowledged the rapid pace of AI development and expressed the importance for Microsoft to seize the opportunities and potential of the technology, emphasizing the inclusion of humans in the decision-making process.
“If anything, I feel, yes, it’s moving fast, but moving fast in the right direction,” he stated. “Humans are in the loop versus being out of the loop. It’s a design choice, which, at least, we have made.”
Why It’s Important: Nadella’s comments come after Musk’s statements, who is also a co-founder of OpenAI. “Microsoft has a significant influence if not direct control over OpenAI at present.”
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has been an outspoken critic of recent advancements in AI and was among the over 1,000 signatories of an “open letter” urging AI labs to halt the development of systems “more powerful” than OpenAI’s GPT-4.
However, his assertion behind this criticism has been called “less well-intentioned” by the likes of Reid Hoffman, who questioned the tech billionaire’s intention behind these statements even when he plans to launch his own chatGPT-rival called “TruthGPT.”
Earlier this year, Microsoft revealed its plans for a multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI, marking the third phase of its partnership with the Sam Altman-led company. The tech giant has since incorporated OpenAI’s technology, including GPT-4, into various products and services.
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