Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla and billionaire entrepreneur, recently invested $50 million into OpenAI, a company he helped create. By introducing ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence tool capable of crafting conversations and other content, OpenAI has become a pioneering force in the tech industry. However, Musk has recently expressed his concern about the direction the company has taken and his lack of control over it.
OpenAI originally began as a nonprofit, however, in 2019 it transitioned to the “capped-profit” model, where investor returns are limited to 100x any amount over that is transferred to the non-profit arm. Musk questioned this move stating that it’s not in the spirit of the company’s initial mission. He further noted that Microsoft, who holds a stake in the company, has too much control, allowing them to own the software and the model weights.
The incredible capabilities of ChatGPT spark worry over the protection of content that can be used to commit fraud or malicious acts. Further, it raised fears of job automation – Goldman Sachs estimates as many as 300 million jobs could potentially be replaced. To address this, the Future of Life Institute wrote an open letter recommending a pause on the development of generative AI technology like ChatGPT.
OpenAI has become one of the most ambitious and talked-about companies in AI tech. With Musk’s investment and Microsoft’s control, it has become a superpower and plays a pivotal role in advancing the industry forward. However, from concerns over its direction to worries about the safety of its product, Musk’s involvement with OpenAI has highlighted the need for caution in the development of AI technology.
