24-5-2023 Elon Musk, the former CEO of Tesla and co-founder of OpenAI, has confessed to several mistakes in a revealing interview with CNBC. Musk, who resigned from the OpenAI board in 2018, admitted his error in underestimating the company’s potential profitability and regretted not having a larger stake in the project. Although he invested roughly $50 million and recruited key scientists and engineers such as Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI’s co-founder and chief scientist, he has lost out on significant earnings due to his departure.
Musk also revealed a former friendship with Google’s Larry Page and claimed that his role in OpenAI’s success was pivotal. He explained that he and Page fell out over their differing views on the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI). Musk was concerned about the potential risks of AI, while Page was cavalier about them.
Musk said he was spurred to create OpenAI as an open-source, nonprofit organization to counteract Google’s closed-source, for-profit DeepMind initiative. However, OpenAI transitioned to a for-profit company in 2019, which Musk found unforeseen and at odds with his original intent. He likened the transformation to funding an organization that claims to save the Amazon rainforest but becomes a lumber company that profits from selling its materials instead.
Musk also expressed his wariness of anyone profiting from AI, stating that he worries Microsoft may be more in control than OpenAI’s leadership team realizes. He believes that the profit motivation of AI companies like Google and Microsoft can be potentially dangerous.
Despite his disagreements with Page and OpenAI’s shift to for-profit status, Musk maintains that he is the reason OpenAI exists. He came up with the name and recruited key personnel, and without his contributions, the company would not have existed. Although he acknowledges his mistakes and regrets not having a larger stake in the project, Musk remains proud of his role in OpenAI’s origins.
The interview with CNBC showcased a rare moment of vulnerability and self-reflection from Musk, who is known for his strong opinions and brash personality. It highlighted the complexities and challenges of developing AI technology and the importance of ethical considerations in its development and deployment.
