New internal emails released by OpenAI have shed light on Elon Musk’s early advocacy for the company to adopt a for-profit business model, revealing a shift in his stance on the organization’s direction. The emails, part of a legal filing, show Musk encouraging OpenAI to transition to a for-profit framework as early as 2017, despite his current public criticism of this change.
OpenAI’s latest blog post highlights Musk’s involvement in shaping the company’s structure, pointing to a November 2015 email where Musk told then-CEO Sam Altman that OpenAI’s non-profit model “didn’t seem optimal.” OpenAI claims that Musk’s departure came after he failed to secure majority equity, with Musk predicting the company’s failure.
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The legal filing also touches on Musk’s ongoing legal battles with OpenAI, accusing him of attempting to stifle its progress while focusing on his own AI venture, xAI. Musk has filed lawsuits to prevent OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit structure, arguing it strays from the company’s original mission.
OpenAI has accused Musk of trying to block its growth as it competes with his own AI efforts, specifically his chatbot Grok launched by xAI in 2023. The company’s blog post ended with the remark: “You can’t sue your way to AGI.”
