Tech titan Elon Musk has launched a legal battle against OpenAI, the creators of the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT.

The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco, alleges that OpenAI has strayed from its founding principles, prioritizing profits over the responsible development of artificial intelligence (AI).

Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI in 2015, claims the firm has abandoned its original mission of creating "open source" and "beneficial to humanity" AI.

The lawsuit specifically accuses OpenAI of focusing on "maximizing profits" for major investor Microsoft, a move Musk argues directly contradicts OpenAI's initial non-profit structure.

OpenAI, established with the ambitious goal of achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) – machines capable of human-like thinking and problem-solving – was envisioned as a collaborative effort for the greater good.

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However, the lawsuit alleges that a shift towards commercialization occurred after Microsoft's initial $1 billion investment in 2019, which coincided with OpenAI adopting a "capped profit" model.

This shift further escalated with a multi-year, multi-billion dollar partnership solidified in early 2023 following the launch of ChatGPT.

The lawsuit contends that Microsoft's growing influence has resulted in OpenAI prioritizing the tech giant's interests over its original goals.

Musk's lawyers specifically point to the "closed-source" nature of OpenAI's latest technology, GPT-4, arguing it serves "Microsoft's proprietary commercial interests" rather than fostering open research and development.

This legal action follows a period of internal turmoil at OpenAI in November 2023.

The company's board briefly removed CEO Sam Altman, citing concerns about his "candidness in communications," before reinstating him days later.

Musk personally expressed his "very worried" reaction to the boardroom drama, which also involved Microsoft offering to hire any departing OpenAI staff.

The lawsuit argues that these events further highlight Microsoft's growing influence and control over OpenAI's direction.

OpenAI has yet to comment on the lawsuit.

The legal battle promises to have significant ramifications for the future of AI development, with Musk seeking to ensure OpenAI remains true to its original mission of responsible and open-source AI research, rather than succumbing to the lure of commercial gain.