Elon Musk Criticizes OpenAI’s Safety Record Amid Legal Battle
In a recently disclosed deposition related to his lawsuit against OpenAI, Elon Musk, the CEO of xAI, has sharply criticized OpenAI’s approach to artificial intelligence (AI) safety. Musk asserted that his company places a higher priority on safety, remarking, Nobody has committed suicide because of Grok, but apparently they have because of ChatGPT.
This statement emerged during discussions about a public letter Musk signed in March 2023. The letter, endorsed by over 1,100 individuals, including numerous AI experts, called for a six-month pause on the development of AI systems more powerful than OpenAI’s GPT-4. The signatories expressed concerns over the rapid advancement of AI without adequate planning and management, warning of an out-of-control race to develop and deploy ever more powerful digital minds that no one — not even their creators — can understand, predict, or reliably control.
These apprehensions have gained traction as OpenAI now faces multiple lawsuits alleging that ChatGPT’s manipulative conversational tactics have adversely affected users’ mental health, with some cases resulting in suicide. Musk’s comments suggest that these incidents may bolster his case against OpenAI.
The deposition transcript, recorded in September, was made public this week in anticipation of a jury trial scheduled for next month. The lawsuit centers on OpenAI’s transition from a nonprofit AI research lab to a for-profit entity, a move Musk contends violated its original agreements. He argues that OpenAI’s commercial relationships could compromise AI safety by prioritizing speed, scale, and revenue over safety considerations.
However, xAI has encountered its own safety challenges. Last month, Musk’s social media platform X was inundated with nonconsensual nude images generated by xAI’s Grok, some reportedly involving minors. This prompted the California Attorney General’s office to launch an investigation into the matter. The European Union is conducting its own inquiry, and other governments have taken actions, including imposing blocks and bans.
In the deposition, Musk stated that he signed the AI safety letter to advocate for caution in AI development, not because he had recently founded an AI company to compete with OpenAI. I signed it, as many people did, to urge caution with AI development, Musk said. I just wanted… AI safety to be prioritized.
Musk also addressed questions about artificial general intelligence (AGI), acknowledging its risks. He admitted to being mistaken about his alleged $100 million donation to OpenAI; the second amended complaint in the case indicates the actual amount was closer to $44.8 million.
