What is xAI, Elon Musk’s new AI company, and will it succeed?

Elon Musk has recently revealed his latest project, called xAI, which aims to delve into the fundamental essence of our universe. Let's delve into the few details we currently have about this fascinating endeavor.

Elon Musk is embarking on an exciting venture by establishing a fresh enterprise named xAI.

xAI is the recently revealed artificial intelligence firm created by Elon Musk. The team at xAI, consisting of 12 members, aims to comprehend the genuine essence of the cosmos, as stated in their official announcement on the xAI website.

According to the xAI website, it is an independent entity from X Corp, the overarching company of Twitter. However, xAI will collaborate closely with Musk's other ventures, such as Twitter and Tesla, which heavily rely on AI technology for their autonomous vehicles. Catherine Flick from De Montfort University in the UK finds it unclear why Musk has a fascination with the letter "X." It seems he simply has a fondness for using it in his company names.

What's The Reason Behind Musk's Launch?

This stems from Musk’s enduring fascination with AI and his reentry into the industry after withdrawing financial support from OpenAI in 2018. Musk had previously been the main financial backer for the company, which brought about ChatGPT, during its initial debut in 2015. During an academic conference, he took to the stage and unveiled a staggering $1 billion investment.

According to reports, Musk left OpenAI after attempting to gain control of the organization due to concerns that it had fallen behind Google in AI technology development. However, his offer was rejected by co-founder Sam Altman. Since then, Musk has expressed his displeasure toward OpenAI on Twitter, particularly regarding a change in its funding model - transitioning from a non-profit entity to a for-profit company valued at $30 billion.

"He is the type of individual who possesses considerable wealth and is capable of investing billions of dollars into projects driven by personal interest," states Flick. Musk did not provide any response when approached for comment regarding this narrative.

xAI's team consists of twelve prominent members who have previously worked at DeepMind, OpenAI, Google Research, Microsoft Research, Tesla, and also University of Toronto in Canada.

Despite the team being composed of individuals from various companies, there is a notable lack of gender diversity as they are all men. Flick expresses their opinion, stating that the leader has assembled a group of men to delve into the comprehension of the universe, whatever that entails. This, according to Flick, is simply a budget-friendly form of theoretical contemplation.

Company's Objective:

In addition to striving to comprehend the cosmos, it appears probable that xAI will also endeavor to create a more secure and equitable AI system, according to Musk's perspective. Musk has previously endorsed a letter demanding a halt in the progress of AI systems due to concerns about their unrestrained advancement in terms of safety.

"Many individuals familiar with Musk often believe that he has good intentions and is genuinely concerned about the potential risks associated with the development of AI. He believes that he can ensure its safe advancement, but it is difficult to ascertain the authenticity of his motives," explains Carissa Véliz from the University of Oxford. "Distinguishing between genuine intentions and an ego-driven pursuit is quite challenging."

Véliz highlights the double standard of someone who previously advocated for a halt in AI advancement but is now eagerly joining the competition. "It appears that he is doing the complete opposite, contributing to the acceleration of the AI arms race," Véliz remarks.

She is also worried about the possible connections between xAI and another project supported by Musk called TruthGPT. "He expressed his worry about ChatGPT since it was being trained to conform to political correctness, whereas he desired a chatbot that would be truthful, even if it meant being sexist and racist. That is extremely alarming."

That's the question worth a fortune. "It's hard to determine," Véliz expresses. "Succeeding in what? The goal itself is not even well-defined."