By Reuters | Updated: March 06, 2024
March 5 (Reuters) – ChatGPT maker OpenAI on Tuesday refuted Elon Musk’s claims that the startup abandoned its original mission to develop artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity and not for profit.
OpenAI said in a blog post that it intends to move to dismiss, opens new tab all of Musk’s claims. Musk filed a lawsuit against the startup he co-founded last week, alleging breach of contract, saying the Microsoft-backed (MSFT.O), opens new tab firm is now focused on making money.
OpenAI said Musk wanted the company to merge with electric vehicle maker Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab, and he forwarded an email that said the startup should “attach to Tesla as its cash cow”.
OpenAI said the suggestion came after Musk and the company decided the next step was to create a for-profit entity in 2017 to generate capital for building artificial general intelligence (AGI).
The billionaire entrepreneur then wanted majority equity, initial board control, and to be CEO of OpenAI, the company said.
But OpenAI and Musk could not agree to terms on a for-profit because the startup felt it was against the mission for any individual to have absolute control over the firm.
In his lawsuit, Musk said OpenAI’s three founders originally agreed to work on AGI, a concept that machines could handle tasks like a human, but in a way that would “benefit humanity,”.
Musk also pushed OpenAI to announce an initial $1 billion funding commitment in 2015, after CEO Sam Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman initially planned to raise $100 million.
© Thomson Reuters 2024
