Musk lawsuit against OpenAI highlights need for clarity over ‘wild west nature’ of AI

Elon Musk’s lawsuit against artificial intelligence (AI) firm OpenAI demonstrates the “wild west nature of AI in the market right now”, according to Eddie Longworth, founder and director of claims and supply chain transformation consultancy Jel Consulting.

Earlier in March, it was revealed that Tesla managing director Musk, who helped found OpenAI, was suing the firm over allegedly abandoning the principals he agreed to in 2015.

The lawsuit, which has also been filed against OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, claimed the business had abandoned its original mission to develop AI for the benefit of humanity instead of profit.

Musk stepped away from the company, which are the makers of ChatGPT, in 2018.

“Whatever the merits of this case, it is clear that we need to bring clarity and a sense of order to the field without stifling any of the opportunities and cutting-edge innovation that working with AI brings,” Longworth told Insurance Times.

Code of conduct

The news came after a group of 127 industry specialists launched a new voluntary code of conduct around the use of AI in the insurance claims sector.

Led by Longworth, the initiative establishes an ethical standard of responsibility when using AI in the claims settlement process.

Nutan Rajguru, head of analytics for the UK and Europe at Verisk and a member of the code’s working group, agreed with Longworth’s view that more clarity was needed on AI.

She said: “The situation underscores the complexities in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI.

“The importance of collaboration, partnership and dialogue in advancing AI capabilities cannot be overstated, which is why it is important to drive innovation and value through responsible and ethical AI solutions.”

The collective behind the new code has urged insurance firms to sign up to the initiative.

It is based on three principles – fairness, accountability and transparency. 

“The key insurers and others now signing up to it is testament to the foresight of many businesses in the insurance sector,” Longworth said.