OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has finally discussed the ongoing lawsuit with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, sharing his perspective on the lawsuit and the events that led to it.
What Happened: In the latest episode of the Lex Fridman Podcast posted on Monday, Altman discussed the lawsuit, which accuses the ChatGPT parent of deviating from its original mission of creating responsible AI.
Altman said that OpenAI initially started as a research lab with no plans for commercialization. However, as the technology evolved, the company had to adapt and make decisions that may seem questionable in hindsight.
He also addressed Musk’s motivations behind the lawsuit, stating, “In terms of what Elon's real motivations here are, I don't know,” adding that the company’s response to Musk’s allegations was a factual account of the events.
The CEO also discussed the personal aspect of the lawsuit, stating that Musk chose to part ways with OpenAI due to differences in the company’s direction. The tech billionaire wanted OpenAI to be acquired by Tesla, a proposal that they did not agree with.
He also touched on the issue of open-source technology, which is a key part of OpenAI’s mission, highlighting the importance of providing powerful AI tools to the public for free or at a low cost.
“One of the ...