Part 10/12:
Elon Musk has been explicit that Frontier AI models—aimed at broad, general-purpose intelligence—have their research roots outside Tesla, notably in OpenAI (which Musk helped start but no longer controls). Musk’s intention was to establish a “check and balance” against centralized AI giants like Google and DeepMind, ensuring competition and diversity in AI innovation.
Furthermore, Musk highlights that recruiting the top talent in frontier AI is more feasible outside Tesla’s main operation, as those researchers are often drawn to independent startups or research labs focused solely on general AI rather than applied autonomous tasks.