Elon Musk Files Lawsuit Against OpenAI

Elon Musk has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, claiming they have strayed from their original mission as a non-profit organization. The lawsuit also names OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and accuses the company of prioritizing profits for major investor Microsoft over benefiting humanity. OpenAI has not yet commented on the lawsuit.

Founded in 2015, OpenAI was established with the goal of developing artificial general intelligence (AGI) and operating as a not-for-profit entity. Musk, along with Altman and Greg Brockman, agreed to these terms when founding the company. However, Musk left three years later, citing concerns about the company’s direction.

The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco, aims to hold OpenAI accountable for deviating from its original mission and calls for a return to developing AGI for the benefit of humanity. It comes in the wake of reports that US regulators are investigating OpenAI over potential misleading of investors, following internal conflicts within the company in November 2023.

This lawsuit also highlights Microsoft’s increasing influence over OpenAI, particularly after a multi-billion dollar partnership was announced in January 2023. Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI came after the company transitioned from a non-profit to a for-profit structure, leading to concerns about the company’s commitment to transparency and public benefit.

In response to these developments, Musk announced the creation of xAI, an AI startup focused on understanding reality. xAI launched Grok, a chatbot designed to compete with ChatGPT, in November 2023. Musk’s lawyers are seeking a range of outcomes from the lawsuit, including greater transparency from OpenAI regarding its AI developments.

Microsoft has declined to comment on the lawsuit at this time.