At his OpenAI trial, Musk relitigates an old friendship

In a recent courtroom appearance, Elon Musk shed light on a personal dynamic that has significantly influenced his career and his motivations behind co-founding OpenAI. During his testimony in a lawsuit against the AI organization, Musk revealed that a rift with Google co-founder Larry Page over the safety of artificial intelligence played a pivotal role in his decision to establish OpenAI. Musk recounted a crucial conversation with Page where he expressed concerns about the potential dangers of AI, suggesting it could lead to human extinction. Page's nonchalant response, indicating that as long as AI persisted, the outcome was acceptable, left Musk incredulous. He characterized Page's viewpoint as 'insane' and labeled it as an example of being 'speciest' for advocating human interests. The backstory of their friendship adds depth to Musk's claims. Once considered close allies, the two tech titans were even featured together on Fortune's list of influential business friendships in 2016. Musk was so at ease with Page that he often stayed at his residence in Palo Alto. Page had previously remarked that he preferred to support Musk financially over donating to charity. However, their camaraderie crumbled after Musk enlisted prominent Google AI researcher Ilya Sutskever to join OpenAI in 2015, which Page interpreted as a betrayal, leading to a complete breakdown in their relationship. While Musk has recounted this narrative in various settings, including Walter Isaacson's biography, this was the first occasion he shared these details under oath. As of now, Page has not publicly responded to Musk’s allegations. Nevertheless, Musk has expressed a desire to mend their friendship, stating in a 2023 interview that they had shared a long history as friends.