"Using Political Power to Harm Competitors Is Not Right"
Seems to Check Musk's Rise in Politics
"My Hero When I Was Young," Also Praised
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, drew attention by making remarks that checked the political influence of 'First Buddy' Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla.
On the 4th (local time), attending the New York Times (NYT) 'DealBook' conference, Altman was asked whether he was concerned that the close relationship between Musk and then President-elect Donald Trump might harm his business. He responded, "It is extremely un-American for Elon to use political power to harm competitors," adding, "I firmly believe Elon will do the right thing."
Altman's remarks are interpreted as a preemptive move to prevent damage to himself by pointing out that if Musk actually abuses political power, public criticism will follow. Previously, Musk had filed a lawsuit claiming that OpenAI founders, including Altman, abandoned their original goal of human prosperity and pursued commercial interests.
Regarding the deepening conflict with Musk, Altman expressed, "I am very sad," and said, "I grew up with Elon and regarded him as a superhero." He continued, "I thought the things Elon did for the world were truly amazing," and "He pushed many of us, including myself, to have more ambitious dreams." However, he added, "Now he is a competitor, and we are doing well."
After parting ways with Altman, Musk founded the AI startup xAI in July last year and launched the AI chatbot 'Grok,' challenging ChatGPT. The lawsuit with OpenAI is also ongoing. Last month, Musk filed a complaint in court, alleging that OpenAI and its investor Microsoft (MS) are using their dominant position in the AI field to hinder competition. He also filed a provisional injunction request to stop OpenAI's planned transition to a for-profit corporation.
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