"Even though Elon Musk essentially lost on a technicality, there's a clear signal from the verdict that making lots of money from AI and competing fiercely with rivals is simply business. The industry tries sometimes to display a united front, especially when it comes to safety, research and inclusivity. But this case served as a powerful reminder that none of the AI giants are charities: and don't have to be, even if they once said otherwise."
"Cracks in the facade of industry collaboration for the sake of humanity have been exposed before. In February I was in India for a global AI Summit, where host Prime Minister Narendra Modi orchestrated the world's tech leaders to hold hands on-stage. Sam Altman and Dario Amodei, once colleagues at OpenAI and now bitter rivals, found themselves side-by-side. But this time, they pointedly clenched their fists into tight balls to avoid touching one another."
"Similarly "petty" drama during the trial in Oakland, California these last weeks has helped lift the veil on the AI sector - and the huge egos of the men at the heart of it jostling for money and power. Nobody came out of it looking particularly heroic. Some also speculated that OpenAI could not afford to lose."
"The company has burned through huge volumes of investor cash and recently hired a chief revenue officer, tasked with helping it to raise its own money. Prior to the verdict, one economist predicted OpenAI had a 50% chance of going bust by 2027: not having to pay billions of dollars to Musk in damages may help lengthen those odds. But he's also very loud and he does bear grudges: he will undoubtedly continue to swing punches at OpenAI and attempt to embarrass it from his social network X."
The verdict signals that earning large sums from AI and competing aggressively with rivals is treated as ordinary business. The industry sometimes presents a united front around safety, research, and inclusivity, but the case shows that major AI companies are not charities and do not have to be. Earlier displays of cooperation have masked underlying rivalries, including public events where former colleagues appeared together while avoiding contact. Court proceedings also revealed personal conflicts and large egos tied to money and power. OpenAI’s financial strain and efforts to raise revenue are noted, and avoiding damages could improve its survival odds. Elon Musk is expected to keep attacking OpenAI publicly while rivals move forward.
Read at www.bbc.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]