In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, the line between innovation and privacy is increasingly blurred. A case in point is X Corp’s recent update to its privacy policy, which highlights Elon Musk's grand ambitions in the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI) through his newly launched organization, xAI. While the privacy policy itself has garnered attention, it also offers an intriguing glimpse into the symbiotic relationship between X Corp and xAI.
The Privacy Policy Update
X Corp informed its users of updates to its privacy policy that will enable the company to collect biometric data, as well as information about users' jobs and education. The privacy policy also allows X to use public data to train its machine learning and AI models. Specifically, the policy update reads, "We may use the information we collect and publicly available information to help train our machine learning or artificial intelligence models for the purposes outlined in this policy."
This change was first noted by Alex Ivanovs of Stackdiary, an industry observer who has a history of identifying notable terms-of-service updates from tech companies. Ivanovs' insights are currently trending on Y Combinator’s Hacker News.
Tying It Back to xAI
Elon Musk, the owner of X Corp, recently announced the launch of xAI with an aim to "understand the true nature of the universe." xAI’s team includes veterans from DeepMind, OpenAI, Google Research, Microsoft Research, Tesla, and the University of Toronto. The team's broad skill set hints at an inclination towards large language models and techniques like reinforcement learning.
In light of the new privacy policy, Ivanovs suggests that Musk is likely to leverage data from X Corp to power the machine learning models of xAI. This aligns with Musk's recent tweet that encouraged journalists to write on X, likely as a mechanism to generate more public data for these AI models.
Elon Musk confirmed this in a follow-up tweet, stating that only public data would be used in the AI training process, and nothing private like direct messages would be included.
Why This Matters
xAI and X Corp appear to be part of a larger ecosystem of Musk-owned entities that include Tesla and potentially other ventures. The data that flows between these companies could form a robust network of AI training material, empowering xAI's mission — whatever that may ultimately be.
However, this also brings up significant questions about user privacy and data usage, especially given that X Corp's services have a broad user base.
A Continuation of Musk's AI Ambitions
The creation of xAI is consistent with Musk's growing ambitions in the AI sector, following his departure from OpenAI's board in 2018. As reported earlier this year by Business Insider and The Financial Times, Musk has been ramping up his efforts to launch an AI firm that could potentially rival Microsoft-backed OpenAI.
His evolving stance on AI is also reflected in his strained relationship with OpenAI. As reported by Tech Crunch, Musk, who once supported OpenAI with $1 billion in donations, grew disillusioned as the company shifted its focus towards commercial projects. He even labeled OpenAI a "profit-maximizing demon from hell."
The Road Ahead
With Elon Musk at the helm, both xAI and X Corp are set to be at the forefront of technological innovation. However, as these entities delve deeper into the world of AI and data science, the privacy concerns raised are likely to become an ongoing point of discussion.
So while Musk continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in AI, the conversation around user privacy will be equally critical in shaping the future of these ambitious projects.
