Elon Musk Expresses Concerns about OpenAI’s Discovery and Sam Altman’s Drama

Mixed Feelings about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman

Elon Musk has expressed "mixed feelings" about Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. During an interview at the Dealbook Summit, Musk stated that he doesn't have inside information about the drama surrounding Altman's departure and return to OpenAI, but he is concerned about the implications for artificial intelligence. Musk compared the situation to "The Lord of the Rings," suggesting that the "ring of power" can corrupt.

Concerns about a Dangerous Element of AI

Elon Musk has raised concerns about a potentially dangerous element of AI that OpenAI may have discovered. He expressed curiosity about why Ilya Sutskever, the co-founder and chief scientist of OpenAI, had such strong disagreements with Altman. Musk emphasized that this matter should not be taken lightly and that he is worried about the potential risks associated with AI.

A spokesperson for OpenAI has not provided any comments on Musk's concerns at this time.

Unclear Reasons for Altman's Ousting

The exact reasons for Sam Altman's temporary ousting from OpenAI remain unclear. Initial reports suggested that Altman was fired due to a statement he made about personnel, but OpenAI employees did not find this explanation convincing. Following the majority of employees threatening to quit, Altman was swiftly reinstated within five days.

Sutskever, one of the board members who initially voted to remove Altman, later appeared to backtrack on his decision.

Musk Defends Sutskever and Questions the Reasoning

Elon Musk defended Ilya Sutskever's involvement in Altman's ousting, stating that he believes Sutskever has a strong moral compass. Musk expressed his belief that if Sutskever felt strongly enough to want to fire Altman, the reasons behind it should be made public.

Musk and Altman have had public disagreements on social media in the past. Altman previously referred to Musk's AI bot as "cringey boomer humor." Musk has consistently warned about the potential dangers of AI and the need for companies to exercise caution in its development to protect the public.

Source: Business Insider

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By: gkay@insider.com (Grace Kay)
Title: Elon Musk Expresses Concerns about OpenAI’s Discovery and Sam Altman’s Drama
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-thinks-openai-sam-altman-made-dangerous-ai-discovery-2023-11
Published Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2023 23:52:21 +0000