Elon Musk, the billionaire founder and CEO of SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink and The Boring Company, has unveiled his new project: an artificial intelligence company called xAI. He made the announcement on Twitter, which he is also the owner of.
The company's mission is to “understand the true nature of the universe” by using advanced machine learning and data science methods. The company will focus on some of the most fundamental questions in physics, cosmology, biology and philosophy, such as the origin of life, the nature of consciousness, the structure of space-time and the ultimate fate of the universe.
The company's website states that xAI is “pro-humanity” and will adhere to ethical principles and values in its research and development. It also says that xAI will work closely with Musk's other companies, such as Twitter, Tesla and SpaceX. xAI is separate from X Corp, Musk's holding company that owns Twitter.
The website also lists 12 initial members of xAI's team, who have worked at various companies and institutions at the forefront of artificial intelligence, including Google DeepMind, Microsoft Research, Tesla, and the University of Toronto. Musk announced the formation of xAI on Twitter on Wednesday, sharing a link to the company's website. He did not provide any further details about the company's plans or goals.
Announcing formation of @xAI to understand reality
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 12, 2023
What is Elon Musk's Role in the AI Field?
Musk is known for his interest and involvement in artificial intelligence. He is also the co-founder of OpenAI, a research organization dedicated to creating and ensuring the safe and beneficial use of general artificial intelligence. He is also involved in Neuralink, a company that aims to develop brain-computer interfaces that can enhance human cognition and communication.
However, Musk has also expressed serious concerns about the potential risks and harms of AI, especially if it surpasses human intelligence and becomes uncontrollable or malicious. He has signed a letter calling for a moratorium on the development of powerful AI systems, and has warned of a “terminator future” if AI is not regulated properly.
Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, has been increasingly expressing his disappointment with OpenAI since ChatGPT was released late last year, although he has been critical about the Microsoft partnership for years. Musk beliefs that OpenAI has deviated from its original mission of being open-source and non-profit. His allegations came to a head when he claimed that Microsoft is largely in control of OpenAI due to a billion-dollar investment made by the company in 2019, succeeded by a $10 billion investment this year.
“OpenAI had become a closed-source, maximum-profit company” Musk tweeted in February, pointing to what he believes is a diversion from the AI startup's initial vision. He also shared plans to create TruthGPT, an AI chatbot poised to compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT.
