In 2018, Elon Musk opposed the cryptocurrency plan proposed by OpenAI co-founders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, seeing it as a threat to the nonprofit's reputation and mission.
Rejection of OpenAI's Crypto Plans
According to court documents revealed in Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman proposed a token issuance solution to resolve OpenAI's financial difficulties in 2018. Despite early funding and Musk's $44 million investment, the company struggled to secure funds. Musk, however, firmly opposed this plan, fearing it would undermine trust in OpenAI's mission and damage its nonprofit status.
Revived Lawsuit: Musk vs. OpenAI and Microsoft
Musk left OpenAI in February 2018, just months after the disagreement arose. Following his departure, OpenAI moved towards a for-profit model. This year, amid deteriorating relations with OpenAI, Musk filed a lawsuit accusing the company of conspiracy and federal law violations. The lawsuit was later withdrawn and re-filed, with Microsoft added as a defendant.
Impacts of Musk's Departure from OpenAI
Elon Musk's departure from OpenAI marked a significant turning point for the company. Following this, he founded his own AI company, xAI. OpenAI, on its part, focused on profit-generating models.
Musk's actions in 2018 prevented the realization of OpenAI's crypto plan, leading the company towards operational changes. The subsequent litigation only underscores the tension among key players in the AI industry.
