Elon Musk, co-founder of OpenAI, has filed a lawsuit against the organization, its co-founders, associated businesses, and unnamed individuals.
He alleges that OpenAI’s pursuit of profits contradicts its non-profit status and the original agreements to develop AI for the betterment of humanity.
Microsoft’s Influence:
The suit claims that OpenAI has effectively become a subsidiary of Microsoft, with the tech giant investing $13 billion and holding a 49% stake.
Musk argues that Microsoft’s influence has led OpenAI to prioritize profit over its humanitarian goals, particularly evident in artificial general intelligence (AGI) development.
Concerns Over AGI:
Musk has long voiced concerns about AGI, emphasizing its potential threat to humanity, especially if controlled by for-profit entities like Google. He argues that OpenAI’s focus on AGI development for profit, exemplified by technologies like GPT-4, poses significant risks.
Musk alleges that he initially supported OpenAI to counter Google’s advancements in AGI through DeepMind.
The agreement was for OpenAI’s technology to be freely available to the public, with Musk donating $44 million to the non-profit between 2016 and 2020.
Transition in Leadership:
Following a controversial firing and subsequent reinstatement of CEO Sam Altman, OpenAI’s board changed, shifting towards individuals with more business-oriented backgrounds. Musk claims this transition compromised the organization’s original mission.
The lawsuit accuses OpenAI and its leadership of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and unfair business practices.
Musk seeks a jury trial to enforce OpenAI’s non-profit mission and prohibit monetizing technology developed for humanitarian purposes.
Regulatory Scrutiny:
Competition regulators in the US, UK, and EU are investigating OpenAI’s partnership with Microsoft.
Also, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is examining potential misleading practices by OpenAI, while news organizations have sued OpenAI and Microsoft for alleged copyright infringement related to ChatGPT.