Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, has filed to become a for-profit benefit corporation in Nevada, prioritizing societal benefits over investor interests. The filing outlines xAI's general purpose as aiming to "create a material positive impact on society and the environment." Nevada Secretary of State defines benefit corporations as entities considering society and the environment in decision-making, distinguishing them from traditional corporations.
In a parallel development, Anthropic, a rival of xAI and OpenAI, anticipates ending 2024 with a minimum revenue of $850 million, an increase from its earlier projection of $500 million. Anthropic commercializes its Claude family of large language models, available to AWS and Google Cloud customers. The startup is in talks to raise $750 million, potentially valuing it at $18 billion.
Notably, Apple's design executive Tang Tan is leaving the company to collaborate with LoveFrom, Jony Ive's design firm, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Together, they plan to design new hardware with cutting-edge AI capabilities. Ive, known for designing iconic Apple products, and Tan are conceptualizing devices for the home. Altman's fundraising efforts for this project initially led to his temporary firing by OpenAI's board in mid-November, but he was subsequently rehired as the board was reconstituted and expanded to nine members.
These developments reflect the evolving landscape of AI companies adopting varied structures, with xAI prioritizing societal benefits, Anthropic showcasing substantial revenue growth, and OpenAI venturing into hardware design with Apple's involvement.
