On Thursday, Elon Musk initiated legal action against OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, citing concerns over its affiliation with Microsoft.
Musk, a former OpenAI board member, asserts that the organization has strayed from its initial goal of developing AI for societal benefit, instead prioritizing profit since aligning with Microsoft.
According to Courthouse News, Tesla’s CEO stated in a lawsuit filed on Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court that OpenAI, Inc. has evolved into a closed-source entity effectively owned by Microsoft, the world’s largest technology company. Musk alleges that under its new board, OpenAI is not only developing but honing an AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) to optimize profits for Microsoft, rather than serving humanity’s interests.
Reason behind the lawsuit
Elon Musk has leveled accusations against OpenAI, alleging breaches of contract, fiduciary duty, and unfair business practices. He contends that the AI company has strayed from its foundational agreement and advocates for its return to an open-source platform.
In the lawsuit, Gregory Brockman, President of OpenAI, and CEO Sam Altman are cited as co-defendants by Elon Musk. Additionally, Musk has filed for an injunction to halt Microsoft and key OpenAI executives from profiting from the utilization of AI technology.
Sam Altman’s job was saved by Microsoft.
Elon Musk stated that Sam Altman was ousted as CEO of OpenAI last year, but Microsoft intervened to retain his position. Furthermore, Musk alleged that the board members who sought to remove Altman were compelled to resign by Microsoft. He asserted that the current board lacks expertise in artificial general intelligence (AGI) and AI public policy.
According to the lawsuit, the nonprofit structure of OpenAI, Inc. was originally designed meticulously but has since been replaced by a profit-oriented CEO and a board lacking sufficient technical knowledge in AGI and AI public policy. The lawsuit alleges that Microsoft now holds an observer seat on the board exclusively reserved for the tech giant.
In 2018, Elon Musk resigned from the OpenAI board following disputes between the board and Sam Altman regarding the development of GPT-4 and the potential progression of AGI technology. Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has expressed apprehensions about the implications of such technology for public safety.
