What's at stake in the Elon Musk-Sam Altman trial

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Our Principles

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The Battle for OpenAI’s Soul

Elon Musk

Rishi Sunak

Kamala Harris

Bill Gates

Andrew Ng

Yoshua Bengio

Fei-Fei Li

Demis Hassabis

Melanie Mitchell

Sam Altman

Dario Amodei

Geoffrey Hinton

Yann LeCun

Gary Marcus

Max Tegmark

Connor Leahy

Eliezer Yudkowsky

Jaan Tallinn

Marc Andreessen

Eric Schmidt

Norbert Wiener

Arthur Clarke

Irving John Good

Claude Shannon

Hans Moravec

John Smart

There's a "wall of fear-mongering and doomerism" in the AI world right now.

"Worrying about AI today is like worrying about overpopulation on Mars."

Concerns that AI could pose a threat to humanity is "preposterously ridiculous."

Claiming AI poses an existential threat is "such an extreme" and risks "wip[ing] out some of its potential benefits."

"I'm more concerned about... the risks that are here and now [than the existential threat of AI]."

Current AI is "not anywhere close" to posing an existential threat but it could in the future.

AI is the "biggest existential threat" to humanity.

AGI's worst-case scenario would be "lights-out for all of us."

Powerful AI systems "taking control" pose an "existential threat."

AI has a "10 to 25 per cent" chance of destroying humanity.

"The most likely result of building a superhumanly smart AI... is that literally everyone on Earth will die."

Does AI Pose an Existential Threat to Humanity?

Joe Biden

Stuart Russell

Tristan Harris

Cédric O

"AI may cause the most dramatic and sustained economic boom of all time."

AI will make the world "way wealthier" and lead to a "productivity boom."

AI is an "amplifier of human intelligence" and will help the economy thrive.

AI will enable "universal high income" in place of "universal basic income."

"AI may become the heart of future economic growth in the coming decades."

AI harms could include "disrupting economies."

AI could "disrupt job markets."

"AI and technological unemployment" are the "biggest problem we face" from an "economic point of view."

"The moment superintelligent AI emerges, the human economy will end."

Will AI Bring Economic Risks?

Vladimir Putin

Hod Lipson

Yuval Noah Harari

Sundar Pichai

"[T]here will be far greater jobs" thanks to AI and "the jobs of today will get better."

AI will probably "take over a lot of jobs," but could also "create new kinds of jobs"

"[W]e might witness the creation of a massive new unworking class."

AI "is not going to put a lot of people out of work permanently" but work will change.

AI might take away more than just "drudge work."

"AI software will be in direct competition with a lot of people for jobs."

"Automation and AI will take away pretty much all of our jobs."

Eventually, "AI will be able to do everything" and jobs will exist only for "personal satisfaction."

Will AI Replace All Jobs?

A nine-member advisory jury was seated Monday in federal court in Oakland, California, for the civil trial of Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, co-founder Greg Brockman and Microsoft. Opening statements are scheduled for Tuesday.

A nine-member advisory jury was seated Monday in federal court in Oakland, California, for the civil trial of Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, co-founder Greg Brockman and Microsoft. Opening statements are scheduled for Tuesday.

Musk, an OpenAI co-founder who contributed roughly $38 million in seed funding, alleges Altman and Brockman abandoned the company's nonprofit mission to benefit humanity when OpenAI restructured as a for-profit entity in 2019. OpenAI has dismissed the lawsuit as "a baseless and jealous bid to derail a competitor."

Musk, an OpenAI co-founder who contributed roughly $38 million in seed funding, alleges Altman and Brockman abandoned the company's nonprofit mission to benefit humanity when OpenAI restructured as a for-profit entity in 2019. OpenAI has dismissed the lawsuit as "a baseless and jealous bid to derail a competitor."

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers divided the trial into two phases: a liability phase, in which the jury's verdict will be advisory, and a remedies phase decided solely by the judge. The liability phase is expected to conclude by May 21.

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers divided the trial into two phases: a liability phase, in which the jury's verdict will be advisory, and a remedies phase decided solely by the judge. The liability phase is expected to conclude by May 21.

Musk is seeking damages he estimates at up to $150 billion, with any recovery directed to OpenAI's charitable arm rather than to himself. He is also asking the court to remove Altman and Brockman from their roles and to unwind OpenAI's for-profit conversion.

Musk is seeking damages he estimates at up to $150 billion, with any recovery directed to OpenAI's charitable arm rather than to himself. He is also asking the court to remove Altman and Brockman from their roles and to unwind OpenAI's for-profit conversion.

Internal documents unsealed during the case include diary entries by OpenAI president Greg Brockman, in which he wrote in 2017, "This is the only chance we have to get out from Elon." Altman, Brockman and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella are among the prominent witnesses expected to testify.

Internal documents unsealed during the case include diary entries by OpenAI president Greg Brockman, in which he wrote in 2017, "This is the only chance we have to get out from Elon." Altman, Brockman and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella are among the prominent witnesses expected to testify.

On the morning jury selection began, OpenAI announced changes to its agreement with Microsoft, removing an AGI clause, ending cloud exclusivity and making Microsoft's IP license non-exclusive through 2032. Musk also used his X platform to boost a New Yorker investigation into Altman's conduct ahead of the trial.

On the morning jury selection began, OpenAI announced changes to its agreement with Microsoft, removing an AGI clause, ending cloud exclusivity and making Microsoft's IP license non-exclusive through 2032. Musk also used his X platform to boost a New Yorker investigation into Altman's conduct ahead of the trial.

Musk vs. OpenAI Trial Begins in Oakland

Musk vs. OpenAI Trial Begins in Oakland

The Controversies

Andreessen

Ng

LeCun

Mitchell

Li

Bengio

Musk

Altman

Hinton

Amodei

Yudkowsky

Andreessen

Altman

LeCun

Musk

Bengio

Mitchell

Harris

Russell

Tallinn

Altman

Mitchell

Harari

LeCun

Hinton

Ng

Lipson

Musk

Go Deeper

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Musk vs. OpenAI Trial Begins in Oakland

Musk vs. OpenAI Trial Begins in Oakland

The Controversies

Andreessen

Ng

LeCun

Mitchell

Li

Bengio

Musk

Altman

Hinton

Amodei

Yudkowsky

Andreessen

Altman

LeCun

Musk

Bengio

Mitchell

Harris

Russell

Tallinn

Altman

Mitchell

Harari

LeCun

Hinton

Ng

Lipson

Musk

Go Deeper

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