Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla and Twitter, is reportedly planning to launch a new artificial intelligence company, X.AI, to rival OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. According to the Financial Times, Musk is in the process of assembling a team of AI researchers and engineers and is in talks with several investors about the project.
“A bunch of people are investing in it … it’s real and they are excited about it,” the newspaper quoted an anonymous source as saying. Nevada business records indicate that on March 9th, Musk incorporated X.AI, naming himself as the sole director of the company. The Wall Street Journal also reported on the creation of X.AI, with Musk as its director and Jared Birchall, director of Musk’s family office, listed as its secretary.
Musk’s venture into the AI space places him in direct competition with tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, as well as startups like OpenAI. This comes after Musk co-signed a letter demanding a six-month pause in AI research.
Recent company filings reveal that Musk has changed Twitter’s name to X Corp, aligning with his vision of creating an “everything app” branded “X”. Elon Musk’s business portfolio includes Twitter, Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and The Boring Company. X.AI’s incorporation in Nevada reflects Musk’s vision of an “everything app” capable of addressing various aspects of daily life and work. With X.AI, Musk seems to be stepping back into the AI business to offer an alternative to ChatGPT and to compete with his former company, OpenAI.
Rumors suggest that Musk has acquired thousands of high-powered GPU processors for the new AI project and has recruited engineers from leading AI labs, such as DeepMind. This new startup is poised to challenge OpenAI, which Musk co-founded in 2015 but left in 2018 due to disagreements with management over AI safety. Musk has expressed his concerns regarding the potential threats generative AI, like GPT-4, may pose, including spreading false information and demonstrating political bias.
Elon Musk‘s complicated relationship with AI has been well-documented, as he has both championed and criticized AI advancements in the past. His decision to create X.AI showcases his continued engagement with AI and signals the intensifying battle for dominance in the rapidly developing technology.
