The interview between Jordan Peterson and Elon Musk has spread like wildfire across the web. It has generated a lot of interest due to both the persona of Musk and Peterson, but also many interesting and often controversial topics. During the nearly 120-minute interview, Musk mentioned many interesting facts and his interpretations of both the AI industry and technology. How does the owner of Portal X see the development of artificial intelligence in the coming years?
Jordan Peterson and Elon Muska – a short description
Although both Musk and Peterson are very media-oriented people, it is worth mentioning, as part of our journalistic duty, who are the two individuals who met during the viral interview.
Jordan Peterson is a renowned Canadian clinical psychologist, professor of psychology, and author of numerous bestselling books, including “12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos.” Peterson has gained global popularity for his lectures on psychology, philosophy, and politics, as well as his active participation in public debate. He is valued for his social analyses and discussions on human nature, ethics, and the meaning of life. TikTok users may recognize Peterson for his short but viral answers on social life.
Elon Musk is the founder and CEO of many innovative companies, such as Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink and xAI. Musk is one of the richest people in the world and a visionary in the field of new technologies. His projects include the development of electric vehicles, space exploration, and work on artificial intelligence. He is known for his ambitious approach to solving global problems and threats related to the development of AI.
Musk’s thoughts on AI and technology development
During the interview, Elon Musk emphasized how crucial the development of artificial intelligence is to his projects. He talked about the recent work on the creation of a supercomputing center in Memphis, which was built in just 19 days. This center is intended to support the development of AI in his company xAI, whose main goal is to understand the universe at a deeper level. The AI, called Grok, was created to understand complex questions and perform advanced learning. The name of the model itself was borrowed from Robert Heinlein’s book “Stranger in a Strange Land”, where the name Grok meant a deep understanding of something.
It is worth emphasizing here that in recent days, shocking reports have leaked that Grok is trained by default on all posts by users of the X portal. This option was enabled by default by the developers. While in the US this may be controversial, in Europe it is against the AI Act, a European Union regulation that provides a legal framework for AI technology.
Musk and OpenAI
Musk also spoke of his concerns about the direction of OpenAI, an organization he helped found but that has gradually shifted from its original nonprofit foundation to a for-profit operation. OpenAI was originally intended to be a balance to the monopolistic Google, as even its name, with the word “Open,” suggests.
The owner of Portal X left OpenAI, and after the launch of ChatuGPT, he became a staunch opponent of the startup. Musk is considering legal action in this matter, which reflects his deep commitment to ensuring that the development of artificial intelligence serves the good of humanity, and not just the maximization of profits. Interestingly, Musk has already sued OpenAI, but ultimately withdrew the lawsuit.
Mars Colonization Mission
During the conversation, Jordan Peterson asked Musk about his other projects, including SpaceX and a long-term mission to colonize Mars. Musk emphasized that space exploration and colonization of other planets are integral to his vision of expanding human consciousness beyond Earth. He noted that as humanity, we should allocate a small portion of our resources (less than 1%) to preparing for the future and securing our survival as a species.
Reflections on the Future – What Did Jordan Peterson’s Interview Give Us?
Jordan Peterson’s interview with Elon Musk revealed the deep thoughts of both gentlemen on the future of technology, humanity, and global challenges. Musk, as a visionary and innovator, strives to create solutions that not only push the boundaries of technology but also have the long-term good of humanity in mind. Peterson, as an intellectual, asked questions that made Musk reflect on the ethical and philosophical aspects of his actions, which made this interview not only fascinating but also incredibly informative.
Elon Musk can be loved or hated, but everyone agrees that he is a trendsetter in technological development. His Neuralink project clearly shows that Musk has the ambition to break barriers that until now seemed to be the domain of science fiction. Understanding how Musk thinks can be a great way out in the debate on the development of the artificial intelligence industry, as well as technology in general.
