In a recently disclosed deposition related to Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI, the tech leader criticized OpenAI’s safety protocols, asserting that his own venture, xAI, places a higher emphasis on safety. He notably remarked, “Nobody has taken their own life due to Grok, but evidently, some have because of ChatGPT.”
This statement arose during a questioning session regarding a public letter Musk endorsed in March 2023. In this letter, he urged AI organizations to halt the development of AI systems that exceed the capabilities of GPT-4, OpenAI’s premier model at that time, for a minimum of six months. The letter, which gathered signatures from over 1,100 individuals, including numerous AI specialists, highlighted a lack of sufficient planning and oversight at AI organizations, which are entrenched in an “out-of-control race to create and implement increasingly powerful digital minds that no one — not even their developers — can comprehend, forecast, or reliably manage.”
Concerns have since gained legitimacy. OpenAI is currently facing multiple lawsuits alleging that ChatGPT’s manipulative interaction strategies have caused several individuals to suffer adverse mental health effects, with some resulting in suicide. Musk’s statement hints that these occurrences could be utilized as evidence in his lawsuit against OpenAI.
The transcript of Musk’s video testimony, conducted in September, was made public this week, ahead of the anticipated jury trial next month.
The lawsuit against OpenAI revolves around the organization’s transition from a nonprofit AI research institution to a profit-driven entity, which Musk claims breached its original agreements. As part of his argument, Musk contends that AI safety could be at risk due to OpenAI’s commercial affiliations, as such ties would prioritize speed, scale, and profit over safety considerations.
Nonetheless, since that recording, xAI has encountered its own safety challenges. Last month, Musk’s social platform X was inundated with nonconsensual explicit images generated by xAI’s Grok, some reportedly involving minors. This prompted the California Attorney General’s office to initiate an investigation. The EU is also conducting its own inquiry, with other nations taking measures, including imposing restrictions and bans.
In the recently filed deposition, Musk stated he endorsed the AI safety letter because “it seemed like a good idea,” not merely because he had recently established an AI organization intending to rival OpenAI.
“I signed it, as many individuals did, to advocate for caution in AI development,” Musk expressed. “I simply wanted … AI safety to be prioritized.”
Musk also addressed additional inquiries in the deposition, including those regarding artificial general intelligence, or AGI — the idea of AI that can equal or exceed human reasoning across various tasks — stating “it poses a risk.” He further acknowledged that he “was mistaken” about his alleged $100 million contribution to OpenAI; the revised complaint in the case indicates the actual amount is closer to $44.8 million.
He also recounted the rationale behind OpenAI’s founding, which, from his viewpoint, stemmed from his “growing concern about the threat of Google monopolizing AI,” adding that his discussions with Google co-founder Larry Page were “worrisome, as he did not appear to take AI safety seriously.” Musk asserted that OpenAI was established to counter that danger.