OpenAI's CFO says it trusts Elon Musk to 'compete appropriately' after his ally David Sacks was appointed AI czar

OpenAI's CFO, Sarah Friar, expressed trust in Elon Musk to prioritize national interests over personal gains, despite owning a rival AI company, xAI. This sentiment was shared at the Reuters NEXT conference, even as Musk maintains close ties with President-elect Donald Trump and his advisory body, DOGE. Musk's ally, David Sacks, was recently appointed as Trump's AI and crypto czar, prompting congratulations from OpenAI's Sam Altman, despite a longstanding feud with Musk. Altman, at The New York Times' DealBook summit, voiced confidence that Musk would not misuse his political influence to disadvantage competitors like OpenAI.

The relationship between Musk and OpenAI has been strained, with Musk involved in legal disputes against OpenAI since March, accusing it of deviating from its founding mission. Altman described the feud as "tremendously sad," acknowledging Musk as a former hero figure. Meanwhile, xAI, launched 16 months ago, has rapidly grown into a formidable competitor, building a supercomputer in Memphis with plans to expand significantly. Both OpenAI and Musk did not immediately comment on the situation when approached by Business Insider.

Key takeaways

OpenAI's CFO, Sarah Friar, expressed trust in Elon Musk to prioritize national interest despite owning a rival AI company.
Elon Musk, a close advisor to President-elect Donald Trump, has a long-standing feud with OpenAI's Sam Altman.
Sam Altman believes Musk will not use his political influence to harm competitors or benefit his own AI startup, xAI.
Musk has been involved in legal disputes with OpenAI, accusing it of deviating from its original mission by pursuing for-profit goals.

OpenAI's CFO says it trusts Elon Musk to 'compete appropriately' after his ally David Sacks was appointed AI czar

Key takeaways

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