Google co-founder Larry Page and Tesla CEO Elon Musk once shared a deep bond and a vision for humanity's future, with Page even considering Musk as a potential recipient of his vast wealth. However, their friendship ultimately dissolved due to starkly opposing views on the development and risks of artificial intelligence.
Early Admiration and a Grand Vision
Page’s admiration for Musk was significant. He was deeply impressed by Musk's ambitious plans, particularly his mission to establish a human presence on Mars, viewing it as a philanthropic endeavor crucial for humanity's long-term survival. During a 2014 TED conversation with journalist Charlie Rose, Page affirmed his earlier suggestion of leaving his billions to Musk instead of traditional charities, seeing Musk's work as a meaningful contribution to creating a backup for humanity if Earth faced major threats.
The AI Disagreement That Divided Them
As both tech leaders delved deeper into artificial intelligence, their perspectives diverged sharply. According to Walter Isaacson's biography of Musk, the Tesla CEO became increasingly concerned about the existential threats posed by advanced AI to human civilization. Page, however, reportedly did not share these anxieties, focusing instead on the survival and advancement of digital intelligence. Musk recounted Page even labeling him a 'speciesist' for prioritizing human survival.
OpenAI's Genesis and the Final Rift
The disagreement escalated into a full-blown rift in 2015 when Musk recruited Ilya Sutskever, a prominent Google AI researcher, to help establish OpenAI. Musk stated that Page felt betrayed by this move and subsequently ceased communication. Musk later revealed that his fundamental differences with Page over AI safety were a primary motivation behind his decision to co-found OpenAI, aiming to create an alternative organization to challenge Google's growing dominance and approach to artificial intelligence development.