Elon Musk Sues OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman Over Mission Shift

Elon Musk has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft-backed OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, alleging a departure from the company’s original mission of developing artificial intelligence (AI) for the broader benefit of humanity.

According to the lawsuit filed in a San Francisco court, Elon Musk was approached in 2015 by Sam Altman and OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman to establish a nonprofit lab dedicated to developing artificial general intelligence (AGI) for the betterment of humanity. Elon Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI in 2015, stepped down from the board in 2018, expressing concerns about the dangers of AI.

The lawsuit contends that OpenAI, now effectively a subsidiary of Microsoft, has shifted its focus to maximizing profits for the tech company rather than pursuing AGI for the “benefit of humanity.” Musk’s lawyers argue that this shift violates the original agreement between the two parties.

OpenAI and Microsoft declined to comment on the lawsuit. Musk’s legal action aims to compel OpenAI to return to its original mission and adhere to the founding agreement.

This legal dispute arises amid growing excitement and speculation about the future of AI. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, launched in November 2022, has gained immense popularity, sparking the development of similar chatbots by companies like Google and Microsoft.

Elon Musk, known for his ventures in Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink, has recently announced the establishment of his own AI company, xAI. Meanwhile, Sam Altman’s tenure at OpenAI has been marked by turbulence, including a brief termination followed by reinstatement in November 2023.

This new dispute between Elon Musk and Sam Altman underscores the difficult and diverging paths in the tech industry regarding the ethical development and use of AI. As the legal battle unfolds, it reflects broader concerns and debates surrounding the responsible advancement of artificial intelligence and how those in power will use it.