Elon Musk stated that he was offered shares in OpenAI on multiple occasions but declined them due to concerns regarding their ethical or legal implications.
At the inception of OpenAI in December 2015, Musk served as co-chair alongside Sam Altman and committed $1 billion to support the initiative.
OpenAI was established as a nonprofit organization with a primary focus on advancing artificial intelligence in a manner that maximizes benefits for humanity at large.
Musk Voices Doubt on OpenAI’s Legal Framework
Responding to a query from an X user regarding his initial contribution to the organization, Musk expressed uncertainty about the legality of OpenAI’s structural framework.
However, he did not specify the timing, quantity, or source of the share offers.
According to The New York Times, OpenAI recently attained a valuation of approximately $80 billion following a transaction that enabled employees to monetize their shares in the company.
Business Insider’s request for comment from OpenAI went unanswered by representatives, as it was made outside of regular business hours.
Elon Musk’s Shift Away from ChatGPT Developer
In 2018, Elon Musk distanced himself from the developer of ChatGPT, resigning from its board to preemptively address potential future conflicts arising from Tesla’s emphasis on artificial intelligence.
However, Musk later asserted that his departure was prompted by disagreements with the OpenAI team.
The billionaire has maintained a critical stance towards the AI organization, particularly its extensive collaboration with tech giant Microsoft. Musk remarked last year that the nonprofit appeared to be shifting its focus towards maximizing profits, a direction he claimed was contrary to his original intentions.
In the preceding year, Musk inaugurated his own artificial intelligence venture and introduced a chatbot that competes directly with OpenAI’s ChatGPT.