Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, has announced the launch of a new organization called xAI, with the goal of unraveling the true nature of the universe. The team, currently comprised of 12 individuals, includes experts from renowned institutions such as DeepMind, OpenAI, Google Research, Microsoft Research, Tesla, and the University of Toronto, with Musk leading the way.
While specific details will be revealed during a Twitter Spaces event on Friday, xAI’s mission will involve collaboration with organizations like Twitter and Tesla to make advancements in their pursuit. Notably, Dan Hendrycks, director at the Center for AI Safety, will serve as an advisor to xAI, leveraging his expertise in AI research.
xAI’s team composition provides some insight into their focus. Several founding members specialize in large language models, akin to OpenAI’s GPT-4, or possess experience in reinforcement learning, a technique that trains AI models by rewarding them for accomplishing tasks.
In a previous interview, Musk expressed his desire to develop a “maximum-truth-seeking AI” referred to as “TruthGPT.” It is plausible that xAI’s initial efforts will revolve around creating a text-generating AI that Musk perceives as more truthful than existing models. Musk has hinted at the potential use of Twitter’s data to train ChatGPT-like technology.
Rumors of Musk’s AI venture have circulated for some time, with reports suggesting his acquisition of thousands of GPUs for an upcoming generative AI product. The Financial Times also reported on Musk’s intention to establish an AI company to rival Microsoft-backed OpenAI, and he purportedly sought funding from investors in SpaceX and Tesla to kickstart the venture.
xAI draws its name from X Corp, the term associated with Twitter since early April, in line with Musk’s vision of an “everything app” marked by the “X” label.
Musk’s AI ambitions have evolved since his departure from OpenAI in 2018 following disagreements with its direction. Initially a nonprofit organization, OpenAI transitioned its focus from open-source research to commercial projects, leading to Musk’s discontent. He redirected key employees to work on Tesla’s Autopilot technology and publicly criticized OpenAI as a “profit-maximizing demon from hell.”
In recent times, Musk severed OpenAI’s access to Twitter data, citing inadequate payment for their $2-million-a-year licensing deal. This move reflects his growing competition and dissatisfaction with the company.
