Q1: What is xAI?
xAI is Elon Musk’s recently created artificial intelligence organization. Its 12-strong team plans to “understand the true nature of the universe”, as it is claimed and posted on the xAI website.
Don’t get it twisted, xAI is not the same thing as X Corp, the umbrella company of Twitter or X, according to the venture’s website, but will “work closely” with Musk’s other companies, including Twitter and Tesla, which already uses AI for its self-driving cars.
“I don’t know what the deal with the Xs is,” says Catherine Flick at De Montfort University, UK. “He obviously just likes Xs.” She’s referring to Musk’s constant infusion of X into his firms.
Q2: Why has Musk launched it?
It is an extension of Musk’s longstanding interest in AI and his return to the field after pulling funding from OpenAI back in 2018.
The guy had been the primary bank-roller for the company – which created ChatGPT – at its launch in 2015, appearing on stage at an academic conference announcing $1 billion in funding.