‘I came up with the name…’, Elon Musk claims to be the mastermind behind ChatGPT's parent firm OpenAI

Musk took credit for not only the name of the company but also for recruiting key scientists and engineers

In a tongue-in-cheek revelation, Tesla CEO Elon Musk declared himself the mastermind behind OpenAI's creation, citing his early investment in the AI startup. Musk's playful comment came during an interview with CNBC, where he also expressed concerns about the direction of OpenAI's technological advancements and the need for safe AI development.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk speaks at the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition, March 9, 2020, in Washington. (AP)

According to Musk, he not only provided financial backing but also took credit for naming the company. "I came up with the name," he proudly declared. Furthermore, he asserted his influence in recruiting top scientists and engineers to join OpenAI's ranks.

However, Musk's involvement with OpenAI took an interesting turn when he withdrew his support, reportedly due to disagreements with senior executives over the pace and nature of technological progress. The Tesla CEO had invested around $1 billion in the startup before ultimately contributing around $50 million.

Musk's skepticism extended to the extent of Microsoft's control over OpenAI, an assertion that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has firmly denied. Musk claimed that OpenAI's capped-profit model raised doubts in his mind, questioning the company's commitment to safe AI development.

Despite signing an open letter in March, along with other tech leaders, urging caution and safeguards in advanced AI development, Musk admitted that he knew the letter was unlikely to effect significant change. In a surprising twist, he recently incorporated a rival AI firm called X.AI, revealing a hint of irony in his actions.

When discussing his relationship with Google co-founder Larry Page, Musk revealed their conversations about artificial intelligence. He expressed his disappointment with Page's alleged lack of concern for AI safety, accusing him of being "cavalier" about the matter. Musk humorously revealed that the final straw was when Page referred to him as a "species-ist" for prioritizing human consciousness over machine consciousness.

OpenAI, founded in 2015 with Altman and Musk as initial board members, achieved global recognition with the introduction of ChatGPT. Altman took the helm as CEO in 2020, following his transition from leadership roles at Y Combinator. Drawing an audacious parallel, Altman compared OpenAI's AI research to the groundbreaking Manhattan Project, emphasizing the company's ambition and scale of innovation.

As OpenAI continues to push boundaries, the dynamic between tech leaders and their perspectives on AI will undoubtedly shape the future of this groundbreaking industry.