OpenAI Chairman Says Musk's Threats Won't Force them to Rush

During MWC25 session, OpenAI chairman Bret Taylor said the company would not be forced into strategic decisions after recent criticism and threats by Elon Musk. Taylor emphasized that OpenAI's core mission remains the most important element.

Taylor said Musk’s criticism is not unexpected and is actually welcome, though explained the structure of OpenAI is less important than its mission to ensure artificial general intelligence benefits humanity. Shifting from its current non-profit status would not impact its goal, he said.

The cost of development lies at the heart of OpenAI’s potential strategy shift. Taylor noted investments in compute continue “to bear fruit in terms of intelligence”, but hinted a for-profit model is the only way to be able to preserve or grow the funding required moving forward.

Taylor said the conversation at OpenAI focuses on how it can maintain its mission while making sure that they’re setting itself up to meet the demands of the investment it needs so it can build artificial general intelligence. Equally, he accepts the organization’s mission and puts it in a position where it will face criticism and have a responsibility to listen to it.

He explained the goal of developing a technology which will benefit humanity must consider factors including job displacement, though he also noted AI can be a democratising force, offering access to levels of expertise which may otherwise prove costly for individuals or small businesses. If AI costs too much, therefore, the benefits may not be readily available to all, creating a digital divide.