Elon Musk, the world’s second-richest man, has announced that he is developing an AI company named ‘TruthGPT’ in an effort to challenge tech giants OpenAI and Google in the global AI race. Musk made this announcement during an interview with Fox News, where he stated that his ongoing project attempts to create an AI that “understands the nature of the universe” and “hopefully does more good than harm”. His motivations lie in the desire to create “a third option” in a field already almost completely monopolized by ChatGPT, a chatbot developed by OpenAI.
The CEO was also at one time part of the OpenAI team, but left in 2018 with no stock or shares. Despite criticisms from Musk of the current state of AI development, he has now taken action to create a version of AI that reflects his beliefs. However, with such developments already in an advanced stage due to the involvement of Google and OpenAI, there are concerns of whether Musk may be too late for the party.
To further complicate matters, Musk is simultaneously leading the effort to revamp Twitter, leading to an intriguing possibility – will Twitter be integrated into ‘TruthGPT’? With a feature possibly coming out in the next month that would allow users to optionally encrypt their direct messages, Musk may be leading the charge to turn this social media platform into a payment platform.
Engaging in various projects concurrently, Musk has merged Twitter with X Corp, a parent company he has registered to bring his companies under one umbrella. Dubbed the ‘everything app’, the project is known as X and could represent a crucial step towards the development of ‘TruthGPT’.
Moreover, the move towards developing ‘TruthGPT’ represents the latest in a long line of big investments made by Tekedia Capital Syndicate. The Syndicate is a venture capital firm that provides funding for some of the continent’s most rapidly growing startups. The firm announced earlier this week that 8 startups have qualified for the 2021 investment cycle, with interested individuals being invited to join and own a stake in Africa’s finest startups.
Given Musk’s already vast wealth, he may be able to secure the financial backing to ensure the success of ‘TruthGPT’ in a timely manner. Undoubtedly, any financial gains gained from his venture will still be put to good use. The entrepreneur is also improving access to higher-learning opportunities with the launch of his Mini-MBA programme, which opened new registrations recently. Interested individuals are encouraged to sign up and take part in the course before the upcoming April 18th deadline and avail of the tremendous discounts on offer.
