Judge denies Elon Musk’s request to block OpenAI for-profit conversion but welcomes trial
Associated PressMAR 7
Judge Denies Musk's Bid to Block OpenAI For-profit Conversion
Above: Illustration of Elon Musk and OpenAI created on March 2, 2024. Image copyright: CFOTO/Contributor/Future Publishing via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
This ruling is a win for sanity. Musk's almost $100B acquisition — trying to buy back a nonprofit he abandoned — felt like an attempt to regain control over a situation he had neglected. OpenAI's mission thrives without his meddling, and this ruling keeps Altman free to innovate. Musk would be a problematic addition to OpenAI.
Narrative B
Altman's push to privatize OpenAI is a power grab that sidelines AI safety for profit, betraying its nonprofit roots. His $40B self-deal also undervalues the mission, while Musk's $97B bid — genius even if it fails — forces accountability by hiking costs and scrutiny for Altman. Altman is precariously veering away from safety for profit, risking a world of unchecked AI while pocketing billions from scraped content.