Elon Musk announced that his AI company xAI would make the Grok chatbot open-source this week. Grok was introduced to a small group last November. Speaking on Lex Fridman’s podcast, Musk expressed his interest in open-source AI.
This move comes after Musk sued OpenAI, claiming the company strayed from its open-source origins. Grok, equipped with real-time information access, was launched by xAI last year and is part of X’s $16 monthly subscription package.
Musk’s Allegations Against OpenAI
Elon Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, has filed a lawsuit alleging a significant departure from the organisation’s founding principles. Initially established as a counterbalance to Google’s dominance in the AI landscape, OpenAI was mandated to make its technology openly accessible to the public. However, according to Musk, the organisation has shifted its focus towards closed-source strategies, prioritising profits for Microsoft, one of its major stakeholders.
Musk’s legal action has stirred a vigorous debate among technologists and investors regarding the virtues of open-source AI. Vinod Khosla, an early supporter of OpenAI, views the lawsuit as a substantial diversion from the collective pursuit of achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and its associated benefits.
Andreessen’s Response and Khosla’s Stance
Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, entered the discourse by accusing Khosla of advocating for the prohibition of open-source AI research. He characterised the situation as a recurring pattern where every transformative technological advancement faces unjustified moral scrutiny. Andreessen emphasised the importance of embracing innovation for the betterment of human welfare, dismissing the controversy surrounding OpenAI’s trajectory as just another instance of unfounded apprehension.
And @pmarca would you open source the manhattan project? This one is more serious for national security. We are in a tech economic war with China and AI that is a must win. This is exactly what patriotism is about, not slogans. https://t.co/AN18VmgVdk
— Vinod Khosla (@vkhosla) March 2, 2024
As the debate unfolds, it underscores the complex interplay between corporate interests, technological progress, and ethical considerations within the realm of artificial intelligence.
xAI Joins Growing Trend with Grok Chatbot
The decision to soon open-source Grok chatbot positions xAI among a rising number of companies embracing transparency in AI development. Meta and French startup Mistral are among those who have already shared their chatbot codes with the public.
Elon Musk, a long-time supporter of open-source initiatives, has championed transparency in technology. At Tesla, where he serves as CEO, numerous technologies have been open-sourced. In 2014, Musk declared, “Tesla will not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use our technology.” Similarly, X, formerly known as Twitter, followed suit by open-sourcing some of its algorithms last year.
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