In a move that combines humor, criticism and a now classic meme, Elon Musk, the magnate behind companies like SpaceX and Tesla, and owner of X (previously known as Twitter), has used a video by Spanish comedian Juan Joya Borja, known as ‘El Risitas’, to satirize the recent situation at OpenAI, especially around the dismissal of Sam Altman, CEO of the company, his subsequent incorporation into Microsoft and, finally, in a script twist worthy of a soap opera, his reincorporation into OpenAI with the same position… All in a space of three days that has surprised many, causing the tweet with the video to be shared incessantly and spread across the internet.
The video, which has gone viral, shows El Risitas in an interview with Jesús Quintero, but with subtitles altered by Musk that mock Sam Altman’s departure from OpenAI and his relationship with Microsoft. The ‘El Risitas’ meme, known worldwide for its contagious laughter and its ability to be adapted to different humorous contexts, has become in this case a perfect tool for Musk’s satire.
With more than 23 million visits and dozens of miles of interactions on the social network through unconventional means. El Risitas, which rose to international fame thanks to a humorously subtitled interview in 2015, symbolizes meme culture and contemporary digital communication. Something that Musk usually uses to launch his messages.
The choice of this meme to criticize the situation of OpenAI, a company that Musk helped found and which is now at the center of important developments in the field of artificial intelligence, is not coincidental. Musk captions the video with references to Altman’s firing and his relationship with Microsoft. A few hours later, Microsoft announced precisely the signing of Sam Altman. And, a day later, OpenAI revealed the reinstatement of its CEO.
You guys literally did all this for nothing.
Nice marketing trick
– Elon Musk (Parody) (@ElonMuskAOC) November 22, 2023
The ‘soap opera’ of Sam Altman’s dismissal from OpenAI
OpenAI’s firing of Sam Altman marked the beginning of a series of tumultuous events within the company. Little less than a soap opera. OpenAI announced Altman’s dismissal and subsequently appointed Mira Murati, its CTO, as interim CEO “effective immediately.” This decision generated surprise and mixed reactions, including dismay from Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, one of OpenAI’s main investors. The official announcement noted that Altman “was not always truthful in his communications” with the board, although no specific details will be provided about the reasons for his dismissal.
Among Silicon Valley insiders, the dismissal of Sam Altman from OpenAI has generated multiple hypotheses and theories. One school of opinion suggests that Altman prioritized business over science. This aligns with growing concerns about the potential negative effects of AI and the need for its safe development. Altman, known for his focus on business, would have jeopardized this balanced vision, favoring profitability over scientific research and ethical development.
Another theory suggests that Altman was working to attract capital to a new fund focused on investments in emerging and challenging technologies, such as self-driving cars or quantum computers. Furthermore, his investment in the fusion energy startup Helion and his work on the Worldcoin cryptocurrency, which uses the iris to identify users, could have distanced him from his role at OpenAI, creating conflicts of interest and compromising the his attention to the original project. by ChatGPT.
Musk, after learning of Altman’s reinstatement, has once again been critical of the movements within OpenAI. “What complex networks we weave”, he has published in X.
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