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OpenAI, the AI research organization, has pushed back against Elon Musk’s recent lawsuit claiming that the company has strayed from its original nonprofit mission. Elon Musk filed the lawsuit last week, accusing the company of prioritizing profits over its core values. In a move to counter Musk’s claims, OpenAI published a series of Elon Musk’s emails from the company’s early days.
These emails, dated back to 2015 and 2018, appear to show Musk acknowledging the need for substantial funds to fuel OpenAI’s ambitious AI projects. Musk argued that without significant financial backing, the company’s goals of creating a successful generative AI platform would be unattainable.
Funding Discussions
In a November 22, 2015 email to CEO Sam Altman, Musk emphasized the necessity of raising more than $100 million for OpenAI to remain viable. He even suggested a $1 billion funding commitment, pledging to cover any shortfall in funding. However, according to OpenAI’s blog post, Musk ultimately committed only $45 million, with additional contributions from other donors totaling $90 million.
Musk’s Proposal and Departure
In a February 1, 2018 email to company executives, Musk proposed that Tesla, his electric car company, should acquire OpenAI. However, the proposal was not accepted by OpenAI, and Musk eventually parted ways with the organization later that year.
Change in Strategy
By December 2018, Musk expressed doubts about OpenAI’s future relevance without a significant change in execution and resources. He mentioned the need for “billions per year immediately” to sustain the company’s mission. In response to this, OpenAI executives formed OpenAI LP in 2019, a for-profit entity within the company’s structure. This move transformed OpenAI from a company with a limited valuation to one valued at $90 billion in just a few years, largely attributed to Altman’s strategy.
Microsoft Partnership
OpenAI’s for-profit entity attracted significant investment from Microsoft, which committed $13 billion in a close partnership with the company.
OpenAI’s Defense
OpenAI, in its blog post, refuted Musk’s claims of mission divergence, stating that its technology remains aligned with its original mission. The company highlighted its commitment to making AI technology broadly accessible and ensuring the safety of its products.
Closing Remarks
The company expressed regret that the situation had escalated to legal action. OpenAI stated, “We’re sad that it’s come to this with someone whom we’ve deeply admired—someone who inspired us to aim higher, then told us we would fail, started a competitor, and then sued us when we started making meaningful progress towards OpenAI’s mission without him.”
OpenAI intends to move to dismiss all of Musk’s claims, citing its continued dedication to advancing AI technology for the benefit of humanity.