Today, Bloomberg released a compelling report highlighting the escalating tensions between entrepreneur Elon Musk and Sam Altman, CEO of artificial intelligence powerhouse OpenAI. In newly filed court documents, Musk leveled serious allegations against OpenAI, accusing the company of aiming to monopolize the generative AI market and neglecting critical safety concerns in their pursuit of profits.
According to reports, in the amended lawsuit submitted in August, Musk elaborated on potential antitrust issues arising from OpenAI's transition from a nonprofit organization to a for-profit company in 2015. Particularly after securing multi-billion-dollar external investments from tech giants like Microsoft, OpenAI has accelerated its business restructuring, a move that has sparked significant dissatisfaction from Musk.
Musk highlighted that OpenAI has deviated from its original mission as a nonprofit dedicated to openness and safety for the benefit of all humanity. Instead, OpenAI is now rapidly advancing its profit-driven agenda with the aim of becoming profitable within two years. In response, Musk founded xAI last year to compete with OpenAI in the AI sector.
However, in the court documents, Musk stated that Microsoft and OpenAI are evidently unwilling to be content with their near-monopoly in the generative AI arena. They are suppressing competitors, including xAI, by requiring investors to pledge not to fund other companies. Musk's attorneys provided a detailed account of this situation in the amended complaint submitted on Thursday evening to the Federal Court in Oakland, California.
OpenAI did not respond to the matter outside of working hours. However, the company has previously claimed that Musk's federal lawsuit is another 'onslaught' following his withdrawal from the state court case, intended to gain a competitive edge through pressure. The amended complaint spans 107 pages, outlining 26 legal accusations, including 11 additional claims and 24 new pages compared to the original version.
To substantiate OpenAI's anti-competitive practices, Musk stated in the documents that the company is undermining competitors' talent pools by recruiting AI professionals with high salaries. It is estimated that OpenAI spends approximately $1.5 billion (about 108.67 billion RMB) solely on the salaries of around 1,500 employees.
Furthermore, Musk expressed grave concerns regarding OpenAI's contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. He pointed out that OpenAI has removed clauses in its usage policy that prohibit the technology's use for 'high-risk entity harm,' such as 'weapon development' or 'military applications.' This modification has raised alarms about the potential misuse of OpenAI's technology for improper purposes.
The documents also revealed a startling development: numerous security researchers have resigned or been forced to leave due to dissatisfaction with OpenAI's strategy. It is alleged that OpenAI's security team has been disbanded to 'make room for security personnel responsible for military contracts.' This revelation has further intensified concerns over OpenAI's safety and ethical standards.
This report has once again thrust competition and safety issues within the AI sector into the spotlight. As technology continues to advance and its applications expand, ensuring the safety and ethical integrity of artificial intelligence will remain a critical challenge for future developments.
