Elon Musk has announced the formation of xAI, a new company focused on artificial intelligence (AI), after months of speculation and teasing about a potential rival to ChatGPT. The company’s mission is to understand the true nature of the universe, which echoes Musk’s previous language when discussing his AI ambitions. xAI will collaborate with Twitter, Tesla, and other firms. Musk, an early supporter of OpenAI, criticized the implementation of safeguards in ChatGPT aimed at preventing biased or sexist responses.
Why it matters: Musk’s entry into the AI industry comes amid a competitive race among tech giants to develop generative AI products, raising concerns among workers about the implications of artificial intelligence for their jobs.
- The announcement follows Musk’s previous warning about the potential “civilization destruction” caused by AI, aligning him with other tech leaders calling for a pause in the perceived uncontrolled AI race.
- The xAI team comprises research engineers from notable organizations, including former members of Google Research, DeepMind, OpenAI, Microsoft Research, and Tesla.
- Musk initially made the announcement on his Twitter account, stating, “Announcing the formation of @xAI to understand reality”.
