After OpenAI’s recent $10 billion investment from Microsoft, concerns were raised regarding the direction and ethics of the AI research company. In particular, some experts and activists criticized Elon Musk, one of OpenAI’s co-founders and board members, for having too much influence over the company’s decision-making process. They questioned whether OpenAI was still committed to its original mission of creating “friendly AI” that can benefit humanity without causing harm or being misused.
The deal with Microsoft granted the tech giant exclusive access to ChatGPT-4, OpenAI’s latest natural language generation tool, which can generate coherent text on almost any topic. Microsoft also agreed to share 75% of OpenAI’s profits until it recoups its investment, after which it would own 49% of the company.
Too Much Power for Microsoft?
Critics claim that this arrangement gave too much power to Microsoft and Musk. They also pointed out that AI-generated text tends to lack the variations and complexity found in human writing.
In response to these criticisms, Musk took to Twitter to clarify his role in OpenAI and his views on the deal with Microsoft. He denied having any control over OpenAI, stating that his influence was limited to giving advice and donating money. He also affirmed that he had no interest in using ChatGPT for his own businesses or personal gain.
Elon Musk criticizes “Dependency” on Microsoft
OpenAI was created as an open source (which is why I named it “Open” AI), non-profit company to serve as a counterweight to Google, but now it has become a closed source, maximum-profit company effectively controlled by Microsoft.
Not what I intended at all.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 17, 2023
Furthermore, Musk expressed his support for OpenAI’s decision to allow users to customize ChatGPT-3.5, an upgraded version of its popular chatbot. This feature enables users to fine-tune ChatGPT’s parameters and data sources to generate text that suits their specific needs and preferences.
Openai CEO Sam Altman: We Need to Fund Research
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also defended the Microsoft deal, arguing that it was necessary to fund the company’s ambitious research goals. He emphasized that OpenAI remained committed to creating “safe and aligned” AI that can benefit everyone, while also acknowledging the risks and challenges associated with natural language generation.
Altman stated that OpenAI was working on improving the quality and reliability of ChatGPT, as well as addressing potential issues such as bias, toxicity, plagiarism, and misinformation. The company was also developing tools and guidelines to help users use the tool responsibly.
With this latest controversy, the debate around the future of AI and its potential impact on society and humanity continues to rage on. However, it is clear that OpenAI, Microsoft, and their partners remain committed to pushing the boundaries of what AI can achieve while ensuring that it is developed and used responsibly.
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Last Updated on February 23, 2023 1:48 pm CET
