OpenAI has responded to Elon Musk's lawsuit by revealing emails suggesting that Musk not only supported the company's shift to a for-profit model but also desired his own company, Tesla, to be the "cash cow" for OpenAI.
In a blog post, OpenAI stated that Musk, one of its founders, "wanted the company to merge with Tesla or wanted full control." This comes as a counter to Musk's lawsuit, claiming that OpenAI has compromised its nonprofit mission by teaming up with Microsoft. OpenAI alleged in its post that Musk only sued the company when it started making significant progress toward its mission without his involvement.
In an effort to provide context, OpenAI shared emails from Musk, indicating his support for the shift to a for-profit entity. A 2016 email exchange showed Musk agreeing with the notion that OpenAI should be "less open" in the future.
The emails seem to contradict Musk's later statements, such as his February 2023 claim that OpenAI had become a "maximum profit company effectively controlled by Microsoft," which he said was not his intention. However, the emails suggest that Musk endorsed the move to a for-profit model as long as he retained control.
According to OpenAI's post, Musk sought majority equity, board control, and the CEO position, which conflicted with the company's mission of avoiding absolute control by any individual. An email from January 31, 2018, revealed Musk endorsing the idea of making Tesla a "cash cow" for OpenAI, emphasizing its potential over other large companies like Apple or Amazon.
Musk left OpenAI in late February 2018 and announced plans to develop an AI competitor within Tesla, known as xAI Corp. In a December 2018 email included in the blog post, Musk expressed skepticism about OpenAI's chances of relevance without significant changes in execution and resources, stating that the startup needed "billions per year immediately."
Despite the ongoing criticism from Musk, OpenAI announced its intention to have all of Musk's claims dismissed and expressed sadness at the turn of events with someone they once deeply admired.