In the early 2010s, Elon Musk grew concerned about AI's potential under profit-driven control. To address this, he helped establish OpenAI as a counterforce focused on human benefit. The move came after he distanced himself from Google's acquisition of DeepMind.
Elon Musk's involvement in artificial intelligence began with early investments in DeepMind, a UK-based lab leading efforts in artificial general intelligence. In the early 2010s, Musk recognized AI as potentially the most powerful technology ever, but he suspected that control by powerful, profit-driven entities could harm humanity.
Musk's ties to DeepMind ended after Google acquired the organization in 2014. Feeling the need for an alternative motivated by human interests rather than profits, Musk co-founded OpenAI.
At OpenAI's 2015 unveiling, Musk and Sam Altman emphasized during an interview that shareholder profits would not influence their decisions. This stance aimed to create a balanced force in AI development amid growing industry consolidation involving companies like Nvidia, OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft.
The partnerships and deals among these players are forming an interconnected AI ecosystem, raising questions about its broader implications for society.