Tech czar Elon Musk forms new AI startup xAI roping in former Google, OpenAI engineers

World’s richest man Elon Musk has announced a new AI startup, xAI, with the launch of its website.

A file photo of Elon Musk. Photo courtesy: Steve Jurvetson/ Wikipedia Creative Commons

The 52-year-old Twitter owner will head the start-up. The xAI team includes engineers who earlier worked with Big Techs like Google, Microsoft and OpenAI.

"Announcing the formation of @xAI to understand reality," tweeted Musk, who is also the CEO of the world’s most valuable automaker Tesla.

The xAI website announced that the company will be hosting a Twitter Spaces event on July 14.  

Musk has over the past few months been voicing his concerns about the development of artificial intelligence. In March, he signed an open letter alongside leading names across tech and cultural circles calling for a six-month pause in giant artificial intelligence research and framing of regulations within the sector.

However, that month itself Musk registered a company named X.AI Corp, which was incorporated in the US state of Nevada.

The July 14 event is likely to provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about xAI and its objectives.

While Musk is the sole director, Jared Birchall, the managing director of Musk's family office, is listed as the secretary.