Elon Musk mocked by Meta AI chief Yann LeCun over xAI recruiting drive

Meta's AI chief Yann LeCun publicly ridiculed Elon Musk on X, mocking his recruitment efforts for xAI, which recently announced a $6 billion Series B funding. LeCun critiqued Musk's AI predictions and his stance on free speech, referencing Musk's controversial posts on his own platform. The ongoing feud between the tech leaders highlights their differing views on AI's future and freedom of expression.

Yann LeCun and Elon Musk have a history of public disagreements regarding the potential and risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI), which date back to at least 2017. These disputes have often played out on social media and in public statements, highlighting their fundamentally different perspectives on AI.

LeCun, a leading AI scientist at Meta, is known for his skepticism towards the more alarmist views on AI, often dismissing dire predictions about AI as misunderstandings of the technology. He has consistently criticized Musk's dramatic forecasts about AI, including Musk's claim that AI could soon surpass human intelligence and pose a significant threat to humanity26. For instance, LeCun has rebutted Musk’s assertion that artificial general intelligence (AGI) will arrive imminently and has downplayed the likelihood that AI could destroy humanity, a scenario Musk has suggested could have a 10-20% chance of occurring3.

Their rivalry was evident most recently when LeCun mocked Musk on the social media platform X, in response to Musk's recruitment drive for his AI firm, xAI. LeCun's sarcastic comments addressed Musk's leadership style and his controversial statements about AI, further illustrating the ongoing nature of their public and professional discord. This feud underscores a broader debate within the tech community about the future of AI, its ethical implications, and the responsible development of AI technologies6.