Elon Musk’s Testimony Sheds Light on Rift with Larry Page Over AI Safety
In a recent court appearance during his lawsuit against OpenAI, Elon Musk provided testimony that illuminated a significant rift between himself and former close associate Larry Page, co-founder of Google. This discord, centered on the ethical implications of artificial intelligence (AI), played a pivotal role in Musk’s decision to establish OpenAI.
Musk recounted a critical conversation with Page where he expressed concerns about AI’s potential to endanger humanity. According to Musk, Page dismissed these apprehensions, suggesting that the survival of AI, even at the expense of human existence, was acceptable. Page reportedly labeled Musk a speciest for prioritizing human welfare over AI, a stance Musk found insane.
This exchange marked a turning point in their relationship. Once considered close friends—Musk often stayed at Page’s Palo Alto residence, and Page had publicly expressed a preference for bequeathing his wealth to Musk over charitable causes—their bond deteriorated following Musk’s recruitment of Ilya Sutskever, a prominent AI researcher from Google, to co-found OpenAI in 2015. Feeling betrayed, Page severed ties with Musk.
While Musk has previously shared this narrative, including in Walter Isaacson’s biography and a 2023 interview with Lex Fridman where he expressed a desire to reconcile, this marks the first occasion he has presented it under oath. As of now, Larry Page has not publicly responded to these claims.
