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Why is Elon Musk suing Open AI and Sam Altman? In a word: Microsoft. – Morningstar

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By Jurica Dujmovic

Potential ramifications extend far beyond the courtroom

In a striking turn of events, Elon Musk, Tesla's (TSLA) CEO, has initiated legal action against OpenAI and its leadership, alleging that the organization he helped found has moved from its original altruistic mission toward a profit-driven approach, particularly after partnering with Microsoft (MSFT).

The lawsuit accentuates Musk's deep-seated concerns that OpenAI has deviated from its foundational manifesto of developing artificial general intelligence (AGI) for the betterment of humanity, choosing instead to prioritize financial gains. But is that really so, or is there something else at hand?

Musk was deeply involved with OpenAI since its inception in 2015, as his concerns about AI's potential risks and the vision to advance AI in a way that benefits humanity aligned with OpenAI's original ethos as a non-profit organization.

In 2018, however, Musk became disillusioned with OpenAI because, in his view, it no longer operated as a nonprofit and was building technology that took sides in political and social debates. The recent OpenAI drama that culminated with a series of significant changes in OpenAI's structure and ethos, as well as a what can only be seen as Microsoft's power grab, seems to have sparked Musk's discontent.

To understand his reasoning, it helps to remember that Microsoft is a company with a long history of litigation. Over the years, Microsoft has faced numerous high-profile legal battles related to its market practices.

Here are some prominent cases to illustrate the issue:

-- In the United States v. Microsoft Corp. case, which began in 1998, the U.S. Department of Justice accused Microsoft of holding a monopolistic position in the PC operating-systems market and taking actions to crush threats to that monopoly. In April 2000, the case resulted in a verdict that Microsoft had engaged in monopolization and attempted monopolization in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.

-- In Europe, Microsoft has faced significant fines for abusing its dominant market position. In 2004, the European Commission fined Microsoft 497.2 million euros, the largest sum it had ever imposed on a single company at the time??. In 2008, Microsoft was fined an additional 899 million euros for failing to comply with the 2004 antitrust order.

-- In 2013, the European Commission levied a 561 million euro fine against Microsoft for failing to comply with a 2009 settlement agreement to offer Windows users a choice of internet browsers instead of defaulting to Internet Explorer.

In light of these past litigations, it's much easier to understand why OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman's brief departure from the company and subsequent return late last year - which culminated in a significant shift in the organization's governance and its relationship with Microsoft - was the straw that likely broke Musk's back.

After Altman was reinstated, Microsoft solidified its influence over OpenAI by securing a permanent position on its board. Furthermore, the restructuring of OpenAI's board to include business-oriented members, rather than AI experts or ethicists, signaled a permanent shift in the organization's priorities and marked a pivotal turn toward a profit-driven model underpinned by corporate governance.

The consequences of this power grab are plain to see: Microsoft is already implementing various AI models designed by the company in its various products while none of the code is being released to the public. These models also include a specific political and ideological bias that makes them problematic from an ethical point of view. This too, is an issue that cannot be addressed due to the closed-source nature of AI models generated and shaped under the watchful eye of Microsoft.

Musk's own ventures, like xAI and Neuralink, suggest he's still deeply invested in the AI space, albeit in a way he has more control over, presumably to ensure that the technology develops according to his vision for the future of humanity.

On the other hand, proponents of Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI emphasize strategic and mutually-beneficial aspects. Microsoft's $1 billion investment in OpenAI is viewed as a significant step in advancing artificial-intelligence technology as it allows OpenAI to utilize Microsoft's Azure cloud services to train and run its AI software. Additionally, the collaboration is positioned as a way for Microsoft to stay competitive against other tech giants by integrating AI into its cloud services and developing more sophisticated AI models????.

Proponents say Microsoft's involvement with OpenAI is a strategic business decision aimed at promoting Azure's AI capabilities and securing a leading position in the industry. The partnership is framed as a move to democratize AI technology while ensuring AI safety, which aligns with broader industry goals of responsible and ethical AI development. It is also seen as a way for OpenAI to access necessary resources and expertise to further its research, emphasizing the collaborative nature of the partnership rather than a mere financial transaction??.

Hard truths and consequences

While many point out that Musk winning the case is extremely unlikely, it's still worth looking into potential consequences. Such a verdict could mandate that OpenAI returns to a non-profit status or open-source its technology, significantly impacting its business model, revenue generation and future collaborations. It could also affect Microsoft's investment in OpenAI, particularly if the court determines that the latter has strayed from its founding mission, influencing the tech giant's ability to protect its investment and realize expected returns.

The lawsuit's outcome might influence public and market perceptions of OpenAI and Microsoft, possibly affecting customer trust and market share, with Musk potentially seen as an advocate for ethical AI development. Additionally, the case could drive the direction of AI development, balancing between open-source and proprietary models, and possibly accelerating innovation while raising concerns about controlling and misusing advanced AI technologies.

The scrutiny from this lawsuit might lead to more cautious approaches in contractual relationships within the tech sector, focusing on partnerships and intellectual property. Furthermore, the case could draw regulatory attention, possibly leading to increased oversight or regulation of AI companies, particularly concerning transparency, data privacy and ethical considerations in AI development. While Musk's quest might seem like a longshot to some legal experts, the potential ramifications of this lawsuit extend far beyond the courtroom.

More: Here's what an AI chatbot thinks of Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI and Sam Altman

Also read: Microsoft hasn't been worth this much more than Apple since 2003

-Jurica Dujmovic

This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

03-09-24 1003ET

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Why is Elon Musk suing Open AI and Sam Altman? In a word: Microsoft. - Morningstar

NASA Seeks Volunteers for Second Mars Simulation Mission but There Are a Few Constraints – PEOPLE

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NASA is searching for a second round of volunteers to take part in a project aimed at discovering what it will be like to live on Mars.

Earlier this month, the space company announced in a release that it is seeking more participants who would be willing to live on a fake version of Mars at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, for one year, ahead of human exploration of the actual planet in the future.

Marking the second of three missions calledCHAPEA a.k.a. Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog the latest will see four volunteers living in a 1,700-square-foot simulation, called theMars Dune Alpha, which is a 3D-printed habitat featuring living quarters for each volunteer, a workspace, a medical station and lounge areas, as well as a galley and food growing stations.

The man-made area, NASA said, "simulates the challenges of a mission on Mars, including resource limitations, equipment failures, communication delays and other environmental stressors."

Crews will also be responsible for various tasks during their time in the habitat, the organization added, including "simulated spacewalks, robotic operations, habitat maintenance, exercise and crop growth."

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In order to participate in the simulation, which will close applications on April 2 and later take place in 2025, NASA said volunteers "should have a strong desire for unique, rewarding adventures and interest in contributing to NASAs work to prepare for the first human journey to Mars."

These volunteers, the space company continued, must be between 30 and 55 years old, non-smokers and speak English "for effective communication between crewmates and mission control."

"Crew selection will follow additional standard NASA criteria for astronaut candidate applicants," the organization added, also noting that a masters degree in engineering, math, biology or other sciences is necessary, as is professional experience or at least two years of doctoral work in the areas or a test pilot program.

Volunteers who can be compensated for the mission can also qualify if they have 1,000 hours of piloting experience, as well as if they have military experience or a bachelor's degree in a STEM field with four years of professional experience, NASA said.

Though no human has ever traveled to Mars, NASA has sentseveral devices and rovers to fly by and explore the planet over the years.

Currently, a first CHAPEA crew is taking part in a mission at the Houston-based habitat. They are more than halfway through their mission, NASA said.

In the near future, NASA plans to take part in a similar mission, called Artemis, to learn about the moon in an effort to eventually send the first woman, person of color and international partner astronaut there.

"As NASA works to establish a long-term presence for scientific discovery and exploration on the moon through the Artemis campaign, CHAPEA missions provide important scientific data to validate systems and develop solutions for future missions to the Red Planet," the organization said in a statement.

"With thefirst CHAPEA crewmore than halfway through their yearlong mission, NASA is using research gained through the simulated missions to help inform crew health and performance support during Mars expeditions," NASA continued.

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NASA Seeks Volunteers for Second Mars Simulation Mission but There Are a Few Constraints - PEOPLE

4 core AI principles that fuel transformation success – CIO

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New projects can elicit a sense of trepidation from employees, and the overall culture into which change is introduced will reflect how that wariness is expressed and handled. But some common characteristics are central to AI transformation success. Here, in an extract from his book, AI for Business: A practical guide for business leaders to extract value from Artificial Intelligence, Peter Verster, founder of Northell Partners, a UK data and AI solutions consultancy, explains four of them.

Around 86% of software development companies are agile, and with good reason. Adopting an agile mindset and methodologies could give you an edge on your competitors, with companies that do seeing an average 60% growth in revenue and profit as a result. Our research has shown that agile companies are 43% more likely to succeed in their digital projects.

One reason implementing agile makes such a difference is the ability to fail fast. The agile mindset allows teams to push through setbacks and see failures as opportunities to learn, rather than reasons to stop. Agile teams have a resilience thats critical to success when trying to build and implement AI solutions to problems.

Leaders who display this kind of perseverance are four times more likely to deliver their intended outcomes. Developing the determination to regroup and push ahead within leadership teams is considerably easier if theyre perceived as authentic in their commitment to embed AI into the company. Leaders can begin to eliminate roadblocks by listening to their teams and supporting them when issues or fears arise. That means proactively adapting when changes occur, whether this involves more delegation, bringing in external support, or reprioritizing resources.

This should start with commitment from the top to new ways of working, and an investment in skills, processes, and dedicated positions to scale agile behaviors. Using this approach should lead to change across the organization, with agile principles embedded into teams that then need to become used to working cross-functionally through sprints, rapid escalation, and a fail-fast-and-learn approach.

One thing weve discovered to be almost universally true is that AI transformation comes with a considerable amount of fear from the greater workforce, which can act as a barrier to wider adoption of AI technology. So its important to address colleagues concerns early in the process.

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4 core AI principles that fuel transformation success - CIO

A Self Cloning Invasive Species Could Soon Take Over Texas – klaq.com

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Who knew that one little crayfish could cause such a big problem? In Texas, this self-cloning aquatic species could soon take over!

Recently, the Texas Parks and Wildlife department sent out a warning on social media alerting all Texans about this possible invasive species called The Marbled Crayfish.

Look at that little fella! This lady is the real definition of "she don't need no man!" because TPWD say these all female crayfish can reproduce without males by cloning! The seriously crazy part, as the organization puts it, is that "the release of a single individual could start an entire invasive population".

TPWD is warning Texans if you have these critters as pets in your aquarium DO NOT release them into the wild! First of all, I didn't know that you could get crayfish and keep them as pets! My next question would be- can you eat them? Which, apparently you can, but I digress.

Now, I didn't think these little crayfish could do so much damage, they're so tiny! But apparently they can, and they have! They have previously spread through Europe and Africa and even appeared in Japan!

As for the science behind why they can self-clone? Well, I think this guy can explain it better than me!

Now the topic of banning the sale of marbled crayfish has come up; to which the TPWD responded by saying:

TPWD did consider prohibiting possession/sale of this species. But, Marbled Crayfish are directly descended via a mutation in aquaculture from the Georgia/Florida native Slough Crayfish, which are also sold in the aquarium trade but arenot self-cloning and so pose much less of a threat. There is no way to tell them apart other than genetic testing.

This would make enforcement of such a ban extremely difficult unless both species were banned and regulations must be enforceable.

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A Self Cloning Invasive Species Could Soon Take Over Texas - klaq.com