Tech tycoon Elon Musk has sued OpenAI, the artificial intelligence research lab, in San Francisco, California, attempting to force it to switch back to an open-source and nonprofit model. An investor in OpenAI has expressed discontent with the organization’s evolution into a for-profit entity, particularly after its recent partnership and substantial investment from Microsoft.
OpenAI, founded in 2015, initially operated as a nonprofit with a focus on developing artificial general intelligence (AGI) for the benefit of humanity. However, in 2019, it shifted to a for-profit structure, and in 2023, following the launch of its widely popular ChatGPT AI chatbot, it received a significant $10 billion investment from Microsoft.
In his lawsuit filed in the San Francisco Superior Court, Musk alleged that OpenAI’s co-founders, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, had originally agreed to develop AGI as open-source software for the greater good. Musk argues that OpenAI’s current status as a “closed-source de facto subsidiary of Microsoft” contradicts this initial vision.
The lawsuit focuses heavily on OpenAI’s latest and most advanced language model, GPT-4, which Musk claims is “better at reasoning than average humans.” Despite its potential benefits to society, Musk argues that GPT-4’s closed-source nature serves the proprietary interests of Microsoft rather than advancing the field of artificial intelligence for the common good.
Musk also raises concerns about the composition of OpenAI’s board following Altman’s reinstatement in November 2023, which resulted in the resignation of several board members. Musk alleges that the new board members lack substantial AI expertise and may not be equipped to make independent decisions regarding OpenAI’s development of AGI.
In his lawsuit, Musk requests the court mandate OpenAI’s return to a nonprofit status that develops open-source software, as well as prohibit Altman and Brockman from using OpenAI or its assets for their financial gain or that of Microsoft. The lawsuit also seeks a determination from the court regarding whether GPT-4 constitutes AGI and is therefore outside the scope of OpenAI’s license to Microsoft.
Mashable reached out to OpenAI for a comment but has not yet received a response.
Source: Mashable
