Elon Musk and artificial intelligence: What is his connection to AI?

Elon Musk is an entrepreneur known worldwide for his leadership in innovative companies such as SpaceX, Tesla, Hyperloop, Neuralink, Starlink, SolarCity, and Paypal. If you are usually aware of what’s new in tech, you must have read somewhere about Elon Musk and his connection with artificial intelligence (AI). We have already explained here on AppTuts what artificial intelligence is and how it works.

You may have also heard about artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, which is an innovative AI system that interacts with users, providing text responses to a variety of requests, from answering questions and creating complex text to solving mathematical questions, all using a natural and fluid language. But did you know that Elon Musk is one of the founders of OpenAI, the company that created ChatGPT?

In this article, we’re going to talk about Elon Musk’s relationship with artificial intelligence and find out what his thoughts and contributions are in this area.

How did Elon Musk create OpenAI?

OpenAI was created in 2015 by Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and other investors who predicted the growing relevance of artificial intelligence technology. In the beginning, the company’s purpose was to develop and make available artificial intelligence tools freely for the benefit of all, just like these 7 artificial intelligence websites to increase productivity. He was also convinced that many of the problems we face today could be solved by machines.

In 2016, the company launched the OpenAI Gym and Universe platform, which intended to train other AI software. In the following years, the company devoted itself to product research and development, publishing a series of scientific articles that explained the functioning of its artificial intelligence.

However, OpenAI only became known worldwide in 2022, with the availability of ChatGPT to the general public. This service quickly gained notoriety for its ability to answer complex questions and write personalized texts on any topic.

Although most people don’t know it, AI technology has been used for a long time. See these 20 examples of artificial intelligence present in everyday life.

Why did Elon Musk leave OpenAI?

Musk left OpenAI due to differences of opinion with other members of the project and the need to dedicate more time to Tesla Motors, which was expanding its investments in artificial intelligence.

In early 2018, Musk expressed to Sam Altman his concern that the company was losing ground to Google. Musk’s proposed solution was to take control of OpenAI and manage it according to his strategic vision. However, Altman and other OpenAI partners did not agree with the proposal. In response, Musk left the artificial intelligence company and reduced the amount of funding he had pledged to the project.

Musk’s departure, announced on February 20, 2018, marked a new phase in the trajectory of OpenAI, which has continued to innovate and establish itself as a leading organization in the field of artificial intelligence.

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What does Elon Musk think about artificial intelligence?

On March 14, OpenAI announced the release of GPT-4, described by the organization as ten times more sophisticated version of the original ChatGPT. With that, OpenAI started to charge for access to this turbocharged version. Here at AppTuts we even show you the differences between the free and paid versions of ChatGPT.

It was in this context that Elon Musk began to publicly express his concern about artificial intelligence. Along with Musk, more than 2,600 technology industry leaders and academics signed an open letter on March 22, 2023, calling for a moratorium on the advancement of artificial intelligence.

The group expressed fears about the downsides of artificial intelligence and the “profound risks to society and humanity”. They warned of rampant competition between artificial intelligence companies to create the most powerful AI, a development they believe is potentially unpredictable and uncontrollable, even for its creators.

The letter also highlights the threat of machines possibly flooding information channels with misinformation, as well as raising concerns that widespread automation by these machines could eliminate all job opportunities.

However, the media in the technology area received the content of the letter signed by Elon Musk with distrust, as since February 28, 2023, rumors had already circulated that the businessman was using his power to prevent ChatGPT from dominating the artificial intelligence segment.

What is Elon Musk developing in the area of ​​artificial intelligence?

Also in February 2023, it was reported that Musk would have sought artificial intelligence professionals to build a new research facility to develop an artificial intelligence superior to ChatGPT.

Elon Musk founded a new artificial intelligence company called “X.AI”, and its goal is to directly compete with OpenAI. He is the only director listed for X.AI. Accompanying him in the organizational structure, Jared Birchall, a former banker at Morgan Stanley and current manager of Musk’s finances, will act as secretary of the company. X.AI was officially registered in the state of Nevada, United States, on March 9th.

Already on April 12, a leak in the press reported that the billionaire had acquired ten thousand GPUs to be used in a new data center with the aim of developing a generative AI trained based on the Twitter database. This came just a few weeks after he signed the letter calling for a pause in AI research to assess security concerns. The generative AI that Elon Musk wants to develop is just one of the types of artificial intelligence that exist.

Musk’s negative discourse and positioning on the development of artificial intelligence fell apart on April 17, 2023, when the businessman confirmed in an interview with Fox News that he was developing an AI system to rival ChatGPT, entitled ” TruthGPT”.

At the time, he made new attacks on ChatGPT, saying that the tool was programmed by left-wing specialists, who train chatbots to lie.

However, when talking about his new company, the entrepreneur has a very different opinion than he has about his competitor. Musk holds the view that his artificial intelligence has the potential to improve people’s quality of life. He envisions AI as a powerful tool to generate new job opportunities, increase safety and production efficiency. In addition, he believes that AI can boost productivity, increase the excellence of products and services and contribute to lower costs.

These opinions of Musk are exactly the opposite of what he said a little while ago, showing that, in fact, he is fighting not to be left behind in this technological race and continue to be seen as one of the most important names in this segment.

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