Elon Musk recently threw artificial intelligence programs, including ChatGPT, into the heart of political controversy, voicing his view that AI models have become “too woke” and “politically correct.”
Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, Musk suggested that AI models, particularly those developed in the San Francisco Bay Area, inherit a “woke” mindset from their creators, shaping outputs in a way he deems concerning. Musk’s remarks add fuel to a simmering debate over political bias in AI and could set the stage for increased scrutiny, particularly if Trump returns to office.
Musk, who has been a very vocal supporter of Donald Trump, and has often been seen at his rallies, heads xAI — a competitor to OpenAI, Google, and Meta. Naturally, Musk has a vested interest in positioning his AI as distinct from competitors. Industry watchers suggest Musk’s critical stance could align with the Trump administration’s agenda, potentially giving Musk’s xAI a competitive edge if established tech giants face political roadblocks.
Elon Musk was one of the first people to back OpenAI in 2015 and is often recognised as one of its co-founders. Musk invested in OpenAI with the aim of developing AI in a way that benefitted humanity, remaining open and accessible. It was structured as a non-profit to ensure it stayed aligned with its mission.
However, in 2018, Musk left OpenAI’s board due to concerns about conflicts with Tesla’s own growing AI initiatives, especially in autonomous vehicles. His departure marked the beginning of an uneasy relationship with OpenAI, which worsened after it shifted to a “capped-profit” model in 2019. Musk felt this move contradicted the original vision, suspecting that OpenAI was becoming more commercially driven.
The organisation’s partnership with Microsoft further fuelled his unease. Microsoft invested heavily in OpenAI, gaining access to its technology and enhancing its own products. Musk has repeatedly voiced concerns that OpenAI’s close ties to Microsoft and its commercial model could lead to the development of powerful AI under a corporate influence rather than for open, global benefit. He criticised OpenAI for becoming less transparent and overly ambitious with advanced AI capabilities. Musk later founded his own AI company, xAI, intending to pursue safe, transparent AI development and to provide an alternative that stayed true to OpenAI’s initial goals.
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/tech/a-trump-presidency-may-mean-trouble-for-chatgpt-other-woke-ai-models-thanks-to-elon-musk-13830855.html.
