Artificial intelligence startup OpenAI has disclosed old emails from co-founder Elon Musk that showcae his advocacy for a profit-making business model.
What Happened: OpenAI made public a series of emails from Musk where he promoted the idea of the company adopting a for-profit structure.
This stands in stark contradiction to Musk’s recent public disapproval of OpenAI’s shift from a non-profit to a for-profit organization.
In a blog post, OpenAI charged Musk with trying to suppress the startup while simultaneously developing his own AI competitor, xAI.
The company also laid out a timeline of events in a blog post titled “Elon Musk wanted an OpenAI for profit,” asserting that Musk had indeed set up a for-profit structure back in 2017.
The emails, which date back to November 2015, show Musk expressing discontent with OpenAI’s then-non-profit structure. OpenAI alleges that both parties had agreed on transitioning to a for-profit model in the fall of 2017.
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However, when Musk couldn’t secure majority equity, he reportedly withdrew his support, predicting the company’s downfall.
The blog post from OpenAI ended with a plea for competition in the marketplace rather than the courtroom, adding another layer to this ongoing legal drama.
“Now that OpenAI is the leading AI research lab and Elon runs a competing AI company, he’s asking the court to stop us from effectively pursuing our mission,” OpenAI wrote in the post.
Why It Matters: This development is significant as it adds a new dimension to the ongoing legal battle between Musk and OpenAI. The released emails not only contradict Musk’s recent public statements but also shed light on the internal dynamics and disagreements that led to the current dispute.
The allegations of Musk trying to suppress OpenAI while developing a competing AI project also raise questions about business ethics and competition in the tech industry.
This saga is likely to have far-reaching implications for the AI sector, especially regarding the debate on non-profit versus for-profit structures.
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This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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