In a witty exchange between the tech giants, OpenAI’s Sam Altman playfully mocked Elon Musk’s newly announced AI chatbot Grok. Altman shared a mockup of his ChatGPT interaction in which he programmed a chatbot to speak with “cheesy Boomer humor.”
The bot, named Grok, is a tongue-in-cheek nod to Musk’s project and has generated a social media buzz with over 25,000 likes. The race for AI chatbot technology intensified after Altman showed off the power of his work with a quick jab at Musk’s Grok. Altman sparked a conversation about the versatility and customizability of AI chatbots by sharing screenshots of his new ChatGPT feature.
Also read: Is Elon Musk planning to take on ChatGPT with ‘Grok’?
Elon Musk’s epic comeback against GPT-4
Altman’s post was humorous and inspired ChatGPT’s version to incorporate some old-fashioned jokes, delighting his followers and drawing attention to the growing chatbot landscape. But Musk, known for his wit and humor, couldn’t help but get in on the joke. He comically took a dig at his ChatGPT on his own Twitter account.
Using GPT can save you a lot of effort. pic.twitter.com/VFIrGzPuMN
— Sam Altman (@sama) November 10, 2023
Musk called it “GPT-4” and poked fun at its lack of humor. He joked that GPT-4 was as funny as a “submarine screen door” and that humor was prohibited in OpenAI, suggesting that the AI could not tell jokes even with an instruction manual. Musk’s tweet added further humor to the ongoing exchange.
GPT-4? Similar to GPT-Snoring!
When it comes to humor, GPT-4 is about as funny as a submarine screen door.
Humor, like many other subjects that OpenAI censors, is clearly prohibited at OpenAI.
That’s why you can’t joke about a shitty instruction manual. It’s like…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 10, 2023
The rivalry seems to be heating up with social media users getting in on the action. Comments range from witty jabs to expressions of support for the innovative technology that both companies are known for.
Musk and Altman split over OpenAI
Elon Musk’s relationship with OpenAI began in 2015, when he co-founded it with Sam Altman, Peter Thiel, and other visionaries. Their ambition was to pioneer freely available artificial intelligence research, prioritizing clarity of communication and philanthropic values. Nevertheless, differences in vision and direction ultimately led to a split between Musk and his OpenAI in 2018, with Musk choosing to focus on Tesla.
One of the key points of contention was OpenAI’s transition from a purely nonprofit model to a partnership with Microsoft. The change in direction strained the relationship between Musk and Altman, who were once close friends. Musk’s resignation marked the beginning of differences in AI philosophies between the two companies.
Additionally, Musk’s concerns about the changing nature of OpenAI have been a recurring theme. Two years after his departure, Musk responded to his statements about the culture of secrecy within the company and expressed his concerns that “OpenAI should be more open.” He scrutinized the transition from a transparent nonprofit company to a profit-driven company, clearly under the influence of Microsoft.
OpenAI should be more open
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 17, 2020
OpenAI’s Shift causes controversy
In February, Musk made his dissatisfaction with OpenAI’s direction clear when he said:
“OpenAI was founded as open source (which is why I named it “Open” AI) and is a nonprofit company. googleBut now it’s the most profitable closed-source company, effectively controlled by Microsoft. ”
One month later, Elon Musk expressed Confusion continues regarding organizational change. The company had transitioned from its original non-profit spirit, supported by his $100 million donation, to a highly valued for-profit organization with a market capitalization of $30 billion. He questioned why such a transition is not more common, if it is legally permissible.
In a twist to the story, Musk launched the AI chatbot Grok, introducing a new dynamic to the ongoing AI skirmish. The timing of Grok’s announcement is particularly impressive, coming just before his DevDay for OpenAI, an event where the customizable ChatGPT platform is scheduled to announce its latest innovations. Musk’s move signals a direct challenge to OpenAI as both tech giants strive to shape the future of artificial intelligence.
As AI becomes more integrated into everyday applications, the technology community is closely monitoring these developments. Will Grok’s humor resonate with users, or will ChatGPT’s versatility catch on? Rivalries are common in the AI industry, but the current competition includes some who once followed the same path with OpenAI. He has the unique distinction of having two visionaries.
