Elon Musk adds to his busy week: clashes with Apple and OpenAI, and faces allegations of sexual harassment

Lawyer Morgan Chu presented a document to halt legal actions against the company run by Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT. This move was unexpected, given that Tesla and X (formerly Twitter) owner, Sam Altman, was previously very adamant about pursuing the lawsuit. The case was set to be tried in a San Francisco court under the California Supreme Court’s jurisdiction.

The lawsuit stemmed from Musk’s belief that OpenAI had breached its commitment to develop AI for societal benefit when it transitioned into a for-profit entity supported by Microsoft. Musk, who had been involved in OpenAI’s founding, severed ties with the company in 2018, and by the following year, Microsoft had become a significant investor. The sudden withdrawal of the lawsuit prior to the trial without explanation was a surprising turn of events.

The reason behind the legal action being dropped was speculated to be Musk’s incriminating emails uncovered by OpenAI. In these emails, Musk was purportedly interested in securing significant financial investments. Despite Musk’s claims regarding unwritten agreements with OpenAI, the absence of formal contracts led experts to question the robustness of his case. The lack of tangible evidence may have influenced Musk’s decision to dismiss the lawsuit.

Moreover, Musk’s recent clash with Apple over their collaboration with OpenAI was driven by concerns about data security. Musk voiced apprehensions about Apple’s AI system and its implications for user data privacy. He prohibited his employees at Tesla, X, SpaceX, and xAI from using Apple devices due to these reservations.

Elon Musk’s rift with Apple and OpenAI reveals larger competition and progress in AI development among prominent tech companies. With Musk’s xAI company entering the domain of AI technology, the landscape is becoming increasingly competitive. The ongoing advancements and rivalry between industry leaders underscore the evolving dynamics in artificial intelligence research and development.

In an unrelated matter, eight former SpaceX engineers filed a lawsuit against the company and Elon Musk for purported instances of sexual harassment and gender discrimination. These accusations shed light on the complex workplace dynamics at high-profile tech companies and reflect the broader issues surrounding workplace culture and employee treatment within the tech industry.