Geoffrey Hinton Supports Elon Musk’s Legal Fight Against OpenAI’s For-Profit Move

Geoffrey Hinton, a well-known figure in the field of data science and recognized as the “Godfather of artificial intelligence,” has expressed his support for Elon Musk in his legal efforts to prevent OpenAI from transitioning into a for-profit company.

In October, Hinton was awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in physics for his contributions to the development of artificial neural networks, which have become the cornerstone of modern AI technology.

Hinton stated, "OpenAI was founded as a safety-driven non-profit organization and made several safety-related commitments in its charter." This statement was released on Monday through Encode, a youth-led advocacy group that promotes the use of AI for enhancing human skills rather than replacing them.

He further added, "OpenAI received various tax advantages and other benefits due to its non-profit status. Allowing it to disregard those commitments when they become inconvenient sends a troubling message to the AI ecosystem."

OpenAI was established in 2015 as a nonprofit research lab by Sam Altman, Musk, and other individuals. However, in 2019, OpenAI modified its approach to operate more like a startup by creating a capped-profit model, with the nonprofit still overseeing the entire operation.

Recently, OpenAI announced its intention to shift to a more conventional for-profit structure, which it states would allow the company to secure the necessary funding with standard terms used in the industry.

Musk, who distanced himself from OpenAI in 2018, is currently seeking to prevent this structural transition. On Monday, Encode declared that it had submitted an amicus brief— a document that offers opinions on a legal case from someone not directly involved— to support Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI’s shift to a for-profit status.

According to Encode, “The restructuring would fundamentally undermine OpenAI’s commitment to prioritize public safety. The control the nonprofit currently holds provides essential governance and safeguards that would be lost if control were handed over to a for-profit company.”

Hinton has previously criticized OpenAI’s safety protocols. During a press conference last month, he claimed that Altman is “much less concerned with safety than with profits,” labeling the situation as “unfortunate.”

Last year, after quitting Google, Hinton publicly expressed his worries about the potential negative impact of AI on humanity, stating that he regretted his role in its development.

Musk contends that OpenAI’s executives misled him into co-founding the organization by highlighting his concerns about AI risks. However, OpenAI claims that Musk advocated for the company to move toward a for-profit model back in 2017.

In February, Musk initially filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it breached its nonprofit commitments by collaborating with Microsoft. Though he retracted this lawsuit in June, he refiled it in August.

Interestingly, Musk’s own startup, xAI, is structured as a public benefit corporation, which is a for-profit entity that also aims for social and environmental objectives. This mirrors the direction OpenAI is looking to take, according to their recent communications.

AI, Legal, Geoffrey Hinton