Elon Musk, the renowned billionaire entrepreneur, has finally unveiled his highly anticipated artificial intelligence (AI) startup, xAI. With a team composed of talented engineers from major U.S. technology firms, Musk aims to challenge the existing players in the AI industry, particularly targeting OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Leading the startup himself, Musk, who already holds positions as the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and owner of Twitter, has consistently expressed concerns about AI and called for its regulation. During a recent Twitter Spaces event, he elaborated on his plan for developing a safer AI. Rather than programming morality into the AI explicitly, xAI will focus on creating a “maximally curious” AI, aiming to understand the true nature of the universe.
According to Musk, encouraging curiosity will be essential for the security of AI. He declared, “I think it’s going to be pro-humanity from the standpoint that humanity is just so much more interesting than not-humanity.” In addition, he projected that superintelligence, which is intelligence beyond that of humans, will appear within the next five to six years.
Musk co-founded OpenAI, the organization that created ChatGPT, in 2015; however, he left the board in 2018. It’s interesting to note that Microsoft has invested in OpenAI, underscoring the intricate dynamics of the AI sector.
xAI’s team comprises notable talents, including former engineers from Google’s DeepMind and Google, as well as a research scientist from Microsoft. The company is scheduled to hold a Twitter Spaces event on July 14 to provide further insights into its mission and goals.
Musk had previously announced his intention to launch TruthGPT, an AI system aimed at seeking maximum truth, challenging Google’s Bard and Microsoft’s Bing AI in their pursuit of understanding the universe’s nature.
With the rise of generative AI, OpenAI’s ChatGPT gained significant attention following its launch in November last year, preceding Bard and Bing AI. Now, Musk’s xAI enters the arena, promising a fresh approach to AI development.
Dan Hendrycks, director of the Center for AI Safety, will provide advisory support to the xAI team, focusing on mitigating the risks associated with AI.
Although xAI is a separate entity from X Corp, it plans to collaborate closely with Twitter, Tesla, and other companies. The startup is actively seeking experienced engineers and researchers in the San Francisco Bay Area to join their ranks.
With Musk’s vision and the team’s expertise, xAI aims to make a meaningful impact in the AI landscape, fostering the development of AI systems that prioritize human interests and safety.