OpenAI disputes Musk's claims, saying it pushed for a for-profit model from the start

Key Takeaways

OpenAI claims that Elon Musk has pushed for a for-profit model since the early days of the organization.
Musk's proposal to merge OpenAI with Tesla was rejected, leading to his resignation as co-chairman.

OpenAI responded to Elon Musk's lawsuit with a blog post claims that Tesla's CEO advocated for the group's move to a for-profit structure from its early days.

The post details emails and events from 2015 showing Musk's role in shaping the direction of OpenAI.

According to OpenAI, Musk questioned the original non-profit status and pushed for a profit-based model, establishing a public welfare corporation in 2017 as a framework for the future.

The group said Musk wanted majority equality, unilateral control, and the CEO position as conditions for the move.

OpenAI rejected these terms to prevent AGI development from being controlled by one person.

The company revealed that Musk proposed to merge OpenAI with Tesla in 2018, warning of “certain failure” if the group does not join his electric vehicle company.

Musk resigned as co-chairman after the merger proposal was rejected.

The dispute arose after Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015, filed a lawsuit challenging the group's move in 2019 to a limited profit model. OpenAI maintains that the change was necessary to secure AGI development funding.

“You can't force your way into AGI,” OpenAI said in its post, as the legal battle intensifies amid competition from Musk's xAI initiative. “Our mission is to ensure that AGI benefits humanity until all,” said the group.