According to reports on social networks, tech_entrepreneur Elon Musk has pulled out of OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research company he co-founded. The reported reason for his departure is that he was not allowed to be the big boss of the organization, which he reportedly believed he was entitled to.
The departure of Elon Musk from OpenAI is a major setback for the organisation. Musk was a key figure in OpenAI and was its primary public face. He was seen as the driving force behind OpenAI’s innovative technology and ambitious mission of advancing artificial intelligence research.
Musk co-founded OpenAI in December 2015, alongside Sam Altman, Greg Brockman and Ilya Sutskever. It has become one of the biggest players in the artificial intelligence research field, backed by millions of investors, including Microsoft.
The company’s leadership had been divided for months about whether it should be a for-profit or non-profit venture, and with Musk seemingly wanting the company to focus on a profit motive, many felt his leadership style was at odds with OpenAI’s mission.
Reports suggest that it all came to a head when Musk was asked to step down from his role as Chief Technologist and focus solely on fundraising, leaving the technical decisions to the other OpenAI leadership. This apparently did not sit well with Musk, who responded by withdrawing his involvement completely.
The news of Musk’s departure has disappointed many in the tech community, especially after all the hope he had brought to OpenAI. That being said, Musk is still committed to advancing AI-related research, as his other companies such as Neuralink, Tesla and SpaceX all focus heavily in this area.
In the wake of Tesla’s announcement last week that it would purchase $1.5 billion in cryptocurrency, Musk’s motivations for leaving OpenAI may become a bit more clear. While OpenAI focuses on advancing research and development of AI technology, Musk seems to be more interested in using AI to generate profit.
All in all, while Elon Musk’s departure from OpenAI is a major setback for the organisation, it’s clear that his ambition and enthusiasm for advancing AI technology will continue. He may have stepped away from OpenAI, but his interest in AI will carry on.
